The SA Medical Association (Sama) was satisfied with a probe clearing Schabir Shaik's doctors, its chairperson said on Thursday.

But she called for the "equal and fair" treatment of all terminally ill prisoners.

Sama chairperson Denise White was responding to the decision of the Health Professionals Council of SA (HPCSA) which cleared the doctors, who examined convicted fraudster Schabir Shaik, of any unethical conduct.

"The HPCSA had access not only to the medical reports compiled by a number of doctors on Mr Shaik?s condition, but also his voluminous clinical records obtained from Inkosi Albert Luthuli hospital," said White.

All were consistent

"They have established that all the medical reports compiled by all practitioners involved in the Shaik matter were consistent with one another in that the diagnosis and prognosis of Mr Shaik was similar."

White said the HPSCA also established that Shaik's condition and its "gravity" had been confirmed by an independent specialist based at the University of Cape Town.

This "rules out the possibility that there may have been some collusion between the doctors", said White.

She said Sama would never condone unethical behaviour by medical personnel.

"The health of the nation and the interests of our patients are our primary concern as healthcare workers.

Fair and equal treatment

"Sama thus expects all terminally ill prisoners to be given equal and fair consideration for parole on medical grounds by the department of correctional services, who decide on these matters."

White said the purpose of medical parole was to release terminally ill offenders so they could be afforded a dignified and consolatory death in the presence of their family and friends.

Shaik, the former financial adviser of African National Congress leader Jacob Zuma, was released on medical parole in March, a move criticised by opposition parties who questioned whether he was really terminally ill.

He had served only two years and four months of his 15-year prison term, spending most of the time in hospital due to high blood pressure, depression and chest pains.

Shaik was convicted on two counts of corruption and one of fraud which, among other things, related to an alleged bribe facilitation between Zuma and French arms company Thint.