Pakistani Activist Malala Yousafzai Recovering, Can Stand, Write

Malala Yousafzai, the 15-year-old Pakistani activist who was shot in the head by the Taliban last week, has come out of a medically induced coma and recovered enough to stand with assistance and communicate through writing, according to a doctor at the British hospital where she is being treated.

The hospital issued a bulletin a few hours later to caution that well wishers should not have premature optimism about Malala’s recovery, saying that the young girl is “still very ill,” and that they have not yet been able to perform a full evaluation of her brain injury, reports The New York Times. The hospital’s statement added:

“This is still a fluid situation, and she sustained grave injury. She’s not out of the woods yet, but we are hopeful she will make a good recovery.”

Dr. David Rosser briefed reporters on Malala Yousafzai’s condition, noting that the teenage activist had given doctors written permission to disclose details of her condition to the public.

Dr. Rosser, who is the medical director of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, stated that Malala has the potential to make a full recovery, but the medical team looking after her is more worried about an infection in the path traveled by the bullet in the girl’s brain.

The Guardian notes that Dr. Rosser added:

“The bullet grazed the edge of her brain. Certainly if you’re talking a couple inches more central, then it’s almost certainly an unsurvivable injury.”

Doctors say that she has memory, but they have not yet spoken with her about the shooting. Dr. Rosser explained:

“From a lot of work we have done with our military casualties we know that reminding people of traumatic events at this stage increases the potential for psychological problems later, so we wouldn’t do that.”

Dr. Rosser also told reporters that Malala Yousafzai was “keen” that he thank people for their support and interest in her situation. He added, “She is obviously aware of the amount of support and interest this has generated around the world. She is keen to thank people for that.”

The young Pakistani activist was shot, along with two classmates, by the Pakistani Taliban after she refused to stop campaigning for women’s rights in the Muslim country.

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