Dr. Salem Eltabal passed away suddenly in Benghazi on February 18, 2019, at the age
of 60 years. Dr. Eltabal was formerly a consultant physician at the Endocrinology
Unit, Jamhoriya Hospital, since 1997 and a teaching staff at the Faculty of Medicine,
Al Arab Medical University, since 1999.
He started his basic training in Benghazi hospitals progressed up to senior registrar
in the main teaching hospitals of Benghazi (1986–1996) under the auspices of the Libyan
Board of Medical Specializations leading to Board certification in 1996 and rise to
the consultant physician post in medicine at the Jamahiriya Hospital, Benghazi, Libya,
held for 6 years (1997–2002).
In 2003, he moved to the UK. He started by taking the required registration examinations
and some introductory observer attachment for 6 months before undertaking further
clinical training posts in Nottingham and Sheffield (2003–2005) and a locum consultant
physician, in endocrinology and diabetes in Mansfield (2006–2007). On his return to
Libya in 2007, he returned to his consultant physician in endocrinology at the Jamahiriya
Hospital, Benghazi, where in addition to general diabetes and endocrinology care and
metabolic bone disease, he also joined the Faculty of the Medical School of the University
of Benghazi and he also took several leading roles in the Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi
University, in study and examination committee, as Vice Dean for Scientific Affair
of Faculty of Medicine, Benghazi University (2013–2014), Vice President of Benghazi
University for Medical Faculties (2014–2015). At various times between 2013 and 2018,
Dr Eltabal headed several entities including the endocrinology unit at Benghazi Medical
Center, The Libyan Board of Medical Specializations, the scientific committee at Benghazi
Medical Center, and the Department of Medicine at Benghazi Medical Center. His research
interests involved osteoporosis and diabetes. He was very influential in the establishment
and the life of the Libyan Association of Diabetes and Endocrinology and its annual
congresses between 2006 and 2010.
His dedication, his permanent smile and his contagious friendly approach to everybody
around him will be remembered by many of his patients, students, and colleagues. He
is survived by his wife, his two daughters (Sarah and Aisha) and two sons (Ali and
Ahmed). Sarah and Ali have followed their father's tradition and qualified in medicine.
Salem A Eltabal (1959-2019)
