|
Shaik medical reports: details revealed |
| Publication |
Cape Argus |
| Date | 2010-01-15 |
| Reporter | Sapa |
|
Web Link |
The Mail and Guardian on Friday released details of the medical reports
which led to Schabir Shaik's controversial parole.
According to the report, a psychiatrist Dr Abubaker Gangat said Shaik's
persistently high blood pressure had "potentially dire consequences for the
eyes, kidneys, heart and brain" and that "organ damage to the eyes and kidneys
is already present".
Gangat noted that Shaik had Severe Emotional Disorder combined with
life-threatening physical disorders.
Shaik's private physician Dr Salim Gaffoor said Shaik had severe resistant
hypertension with end organ damage.
His blood pressure remained high and, according to Gaffoor, his blood pressure
would not be controlled while in prison.
These were annexed to a report to a Dr Ngenisile Mbanjwa.
The publication said it could not establish whether Mbanjwa had examined Shaik.
Mbanjwa recommended that Shaik be granted parole "to die a consolatory and
dignified death" in terms of Section 70 of the Correctional Services Act.
She wrote a letter summarising her understanding of Shaik's medical condition
for the parole board.
It read in part: "Based on all the medical reports from my
colleagues/Independent Medical Practitioners concerning the inmate-patient's
medical condition, all the investigations and medications the inmate-patient is
on, the prognostic features and concurrently with end (final) stage multiple
organ failure (terminating illness) due to uncontrolled or refactory
hypertension despite multiple medications including psychiatric medications."
The newspaper also wrote that the parole board did not include a medical doctor
and that only Shaik's psychiatrist was interviewed.
Gangat said that releasing Shaik was likely to lead to an improvement in his
condition.
The publication sought an opinion from a medical consultant who said that while
Shaik was clearly not well, from the information available he was not terminally
ill.
The consultant commented that if he had severe visual problems, it would be
inconsistent with Shaik driving a car, as he was seen doing after his release.
The department of correctional services said it had sent Shaik a warning letter
after he admitted to being out in public in contravention of his conditions of
parole, and without informing his parole officer in December.
Shaik was released last March after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for
fraud and corruption in a trial which partially focused on whether he had
facilitated a bribe for President Jacob Zuma from a French arms company.
His application for a pardon was among over 300 that Zuma was considering.