Former prisoner al-Taj to go to Austria for medical treatment

altajMa’an reported on July 13 that a medical center in Austria has agreed to treat freed prisoner Mohamad al-Taj. Al-Taj, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis and heart hypertrophy, is a former prisoner who was released from Israeli prisons in April, following two hunger strikes, due to his poor health.

He was released shortly after the death of Maysara Abuhamdieh, who suffered from cancer and who died in Israeli custody, chained to his hospital bed, after being denied treatment for a lengthy period of time.

Al-Taj had launched a hunger strike on July 7, demanding the Palestinian Authority take action to support his needed healthcare. His medical records were sent to Europe in May, and he hoped a country would offer him a lung transplant. He told Ma’an that the minister of detainees received approval for him to be treated in a Vienna medical center.

He will be initially treated with medication then according to his body’s response the doctors will determine if a transplant is needed. His treatment will be funded by the Palestinian Authority, which will transfer the expenses to the medical center, he added.