An ailing opposition party spokesperson, U Myint Thein, will soon undergo surgery to address a case of acute gastritis, family members said.

U Myint Thein, who had been hospitalized for a problem in his gall bladder at Thigankyun Township's San Pya Hospital in Rangoon, was found to also be suffering from acute gastritis, leading doctors to advise him to undergo a surgical operation, his daughter-in-law told Mizzima.

"He was first admitted to hospital for complaining about his gall bladder, but doctors, after clearing the stone, found that he is also suffering from acute gastritis, which requires surgery to get rid of the problem. He is still in the hospital and will remain there as he will undergo the operation," added the daughter-in-law.

U Myint Thein, who took a vocal stand against the ruling junta during the September protests, was arrested on September 27 along with several other politicians and activists. He was kept in a cell at Burma's notorious Insein prison and was denied medical treatment that family members said led to a worsening of his condition. He was also barred from meeting with family members.

Those released from Insein prison told family members that U Myint Thein's health while inside the prison deteriorated remarkably. They also said U Myint Thein lost a significant amount of weight as he could not eat proper food and drank only rice soup.

His wife said U Myint Thein has been suffering from acute stomach problems for some time and that he had not been able to eat anything except rice soup for two months prior to his arrest.

U Myint Thein was released on November 30, after being detained for more than two months.