Publication: The Witness
Issued:
Date: 2007-02-10
Reporter: Nivashni Nair
Reporter:
| Publication |
The Witness
|
| Date |
2007-02-10 |
|
Reporter
|
Nivashni Nair |
|
Web Link
|
www.witness.co.za
|
Convicted
fraudster Schabir Shaik, who has been an in-patient at a private hospital in
Durban for more than 75 days, is suicidal.
Shaik’s specialist
psychiatrist, Professor A. E. Gangat, has written in a letter to the Department
of Correctional Services to extend the Durban businessman’s stay at St
Augustine’s Hospital as Shaik has expressed feelings of “hopelessness and andedonia”.
“He entertains
suicidal thoughts all the time. He verbalised his feelings by stating: ‘I
believe that I would be better off dead than alive’. He thus poses a severe
suicide risk, which can best be monitored in a private hospital, where nursing
care is available 24 hours a day and where, I can attend to emergency crisis
intervention,” he wrote in a letter dated February 7.
The letter is
addressed to Dr N. Ndebele of the Correctional Services Department and was
accompanied by letter from Shaik’s specialist physician, Dr A. S. Gaffoor, who
also motivated for his patient to stay at St Augustine’s.
The
correspondence appears to be in response to a probe by the Correctional Services
Department into whether Shaik’s medical condition warrants his extended stay in
a private hospital bed instead of in prison.
Gaffoor, who had diagnosed
Shaik with hypertension, had referred him to Gangat in November last year.
“During the period I have attended to his mood disturbance and anxiety
state, he has remained as an inpatient at St Augustine’s Hospital. His treatment
thus far has consisted of axiolytics, anti-depressants and mood stabilisers. His
psychiatric diagnosis is severe depressive disorder plus generalised anxiety
disorder,” Gangat had written.
Gangat believes that Shaik’s “disturbed
emotional state” was aggravating his hypertension and in the letter he urged
Ndebele and the Correctional Services Department to consider Shaik’s intense
medical treatments.
“As a medical practioner, I am certain that you
[Ndebele] are well aware of the comprehensive psychiatric treatment that
consists not only of psychotropic but also psychotherapeutic interventions,
which I am administering. Such psychiatric intervention is not readily available
in a correctional centre and it will not be possible for me to render such
procedures as I am a busy psychiatrist running a full-time private practice,” he
had stated.
Gangat strongly recommended that Shaik remain at the private
hospital so he could continue all his medical treatment including treatment from
Gaffoor, and a neurologist.
When contacted to elaborate on the duration
of Shaik’s treatment, Gangat yesterday told Weekend Witness that he could not
comment without Shaik’s permission.
Gaffoor was also unable to comment
on his correspondence with the Department of Correctional Services on February
7. However, it is evident that he, too, believes that Shaik should be
hospitalised at St Augustine’s Hospital.
“In view of Shaik’s recent very
high pressure and new treatment, I feel it is dangerous to transfer him now. I
would suggest I monitor Mr Shaik’s blood pressure and condition for another 10
days before you transfer him,” he wrote. He recommended that if Shaik was to be
taken back to Qalakabhusha Prison where he will serve his 15-year sentence, he
should be admitted to the prison hospital.
Correctional Services
departmental spokesman Luphumzo Kebeni yesterday told Weekend Witness that its
own medical specialist will examine him within the next
month, thus prolonging Shaik’s stay in
hospital. Earlier this week, the department said it would send its own
specialist to assess if it was necessary for him to be in hospital.
When asked if all suicidal prisoners would be
hospitalised Kebeni replied: “I can’t comment”.
With acknowledgements to Nivashni Nair
and The Witness.