Queen Elizabeth Hospital released first picture of Malala Yousafzai
Malala Yousafzai has come out of a medically induced coma and has recovered enough to stand with assistance, Dr. David Rosser, the medical director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, said on Friday.
According to Dr. Rosser, the 15-year-old children’s activist, who was shot in head by Taliban gunmen in Swat on October 9, is expressing her thoughts by writing notes. Currently she is unable to speak due to breathing tube but once it is removed from her windpipe she will start talking.
However, the medical head of the hospital said Malala Yousafzai is “still very ill,” adding a complete evaluation of her brain injury had not been feasible as the brain was still swollen.
“This is still a fluid situation, and she sustained very grave injury. She’s not out of the woods yet, but we are hopeful she will make a good recovery,” Dr Rosser said while speaking to media-persons outside the hospital.
“She is communicating very freely, she is writing. Her airway was swollen by the passing of the bullet, so in order to protect her airway she had a tracheostomy tube.
“She is not able to talk, although we have no good reason to think that she wouldn’t be able to talk once this tube is out, which may be in the next few days.
Rosser said Malalal Yousafzai stood up with help for the first time.
“Having said that, she is doing very well. In fact she was standing with some help for the first time this morning when I went in to see her,” said Dr Rosser.
“Malala is keen that I thank people for their support and their interest because she is obviously aware of the amount of interest and support this has generated around the world,” he added.
Rosser further said the first question Malala Yousafzai asked from the medical staff after gaining consciousness was, “Where am I?”
The hospital has released a first picture the girl in her hospital bed in which she can be seen clutching a teddy bear.
Malala Yousafzai rose to fame after writing a dairy for BBC about the life in Swat Valley under Taliban. She was honoured with International Children’s Peace Prize by Advocacy Group Kids Rights Foundation in 2011.
Several world leaders and celebrates including former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Madonna and Angelina Julie. have paid tribute to Malala Yousafzai for her bravery and dauntless struggle for girl’s schooling.
