Mumia Being Denied Hep C Treatment

Laywer tell court: “withholding treatment is causing immediate and irreparable harm.”

Treatment for hep C has a 95% cure rate. By withholding medication, the DOC would like to see this become a death sentence. 

The Campaign to Bring Mumia Home is in court demanding immediate lifesaving medical treatment for Mumia Abu-Jamal, and we are going to win.

On Aug. 24, Mumia‘s lawyers Bret Grote, Legal Director of the Abolitionist Law Center, and co-counsel Robert Boyle filed a preliminary injunction in Abu-Jamal v. Kerestes with Judge Robert Mariani of the Middle District Federal U.S. Court (see link below).

The injunction seeks a federal court order to ensure that prison medical staff provide immediate lifesaving treatment to Mumia.

Let me be clear: Mumia is weak, his lower extremities still swollen, his skin still severely compromised and raw, and his hepatitis C active and damaging his organs.

Given the severity of Mumia‘s organ failure (his skin) and indications of additional potential organ damage, our legal action states that withholding treatment is causing immediate and irreparable harm.

Prison officials have refused to conduct additional viral load blood panels, reveal or conduct additional organ damage assessments, and they are refusing to prescribe simple medications to reduce Mumia‘s painful and dangerous skin eruptions.

And in an effort to further delay treatment, attorneys for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections have filed briefs opposing the class action lawsuit for hepatitis C treatment filed in June. We expect they will oppose our injunction filed yesterday (8/24) as well.

In addition to the hepatitis C antiviral cure, we are demanding that prison medical personnel re-proscribe Protopic ointment and the mineral supplement  Zinc (220 mlligrams per day) as recommended by his physicians to provide immediate relief to Mumia‘s skin rashes- which have become open wounds.

Mumia’s legal team fights tirelessly for Mumia‘s life, we more than ever need your assistance. We are amplifying the call for:

1. Immediate treatment of Hep C with the latest Anti-viral drugs that have a 95% cure rate.

2. Treatment of Mumia’s skin condition by re-proscribing protopic cream and zinc supplements.

3. In-person medical exams by Mumia’s independent physicians.

Help us make these demands reality by giving to Mumia‘s medical and legal fund now.

Also call the numbers listed in this action guide to demand treatment for Mumia.

See the preliminary injunction here.