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| Pakistani schoolgirls and activist Malala Yousafzai delivering speech during a programme, Malala was shot Tuesday by the Taliban for speaking out in support of education for women [Photo Credit: Facebook.com] |
By RFE/RL
Islamabad: Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenage activist shot in the
head by the Taliban, is to undergo major surgery in the next few days to
reconstruct her skull.
Dr. Dave Rosser of Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Northern England said on January 30 that Malala will undergo what is called
titanium cranioplasty to replace a missing part of her skull with a titanium
plate.
"She does still have the portion of skull that was
removed in Pakistan in the initial surgery implanted in her abdomen but the
surgeons, in consultation with Malala, have decided that fitting of a titanium
plate is a better long-term procedure than trying to reimplant this bone after
such a long period of time," Rosser said.
"So instead of replanting the bone, the bone will be
removed from under the skin in her stomach and cleaned up and sterilized and
given to Malala, who wishes to keep it as a memory, I guess."
They said Malala was completely deaf in her left ear and
that surgeons will fit a device to help her hear.
The doctors added that Malala showed no other signs of
permanent brain injury such as memory loss or hormone changes.
Rosser said Malala's full recovery could take another 12 to
18 months.
Standing up to the Taliban
Malala, 15, was shot in the head and neck in October as she
was returning home from her school in Pakistan's volatile Swat region. She was
targeted by militants for her work in promoting girls' education.
Rosser praised what
he described as Malala's resilience and her desire to get better.
"She is not
naive at all about what happened to her and the situation is looking forward to
in terms of being a high-profile person and potentially a high-profile target,
I guess as would be seen by some people," Rosser said.
"She is not
naive to any of that but she remains incredibly cheerful, incredibly
determined, and incredibly determined to continue to speak for her cause. She
really is a remarkable young lady."
Malala initially underwent life-saving surgery in Pakistan.
She was then flown to Britain in October for specialized medical care to
recover from the physical and psychological effects of her injuries and trauma.
Earlier this month, Pakistan's government gave a diplomatic
job in Britain to Malala's father.
Ziauddin Yousafzai was appointed Pakistan's education
attache in Birmingham, allowing Malala’s family to remain nearby during her
treatment.
Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the
permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W.
Washington DC 20036.