INDONESIA: Medical Update on Beheading Survivor September 21, 2006
The sole survivor of a radical Muslim attack on four Christian high school girls has successfully undergone medical treatment. When Noviana Malewa and her three friends were walking home from school on October 29, 2005, they were assaulted by a group of jihadists wielding machetes. Three of the girls were decapitated by the assailants, yet Noviana survived a severe slash to her head and neck in an unsuccessful beheading attempt. Today, Noviana still deals with emotional and physical torment from the brutal attack.
Suffering from nerve damage and a dislocated jaw, Noviana had problems with her right eye winking spontaneously, as well as the involuntary twitching of the right corner of her lip. She was also treated for the severe and sudden pain she experienced in her head. VOMedical was pleased to provide for her much-needed medical support.
After being under close police protection for several months, intense negotiations took place to transport Noviana from her hiding place to the location of her hospitalization. Noviana incurred many complications from the machete wound extending from her right cheek to the back of her neck, and recently received surgery in Surabaya, Indonesia to relieve the symptoms and heal the scarring.
After her examination and surgery, Noviana will receive follow-up treatment. She must daily massage her face to stimulate nerve growth and expose her scarring to infra-red beam treatment for five minutes. Neuro-medicine therapy and skin salves must also be administered on a daily basis. The plastic surgeon was able to reduce much scarring, which boosted Noviana’s morale.
As vicious jihad attacks on Christians persist, VOMedical will help Indonesian Christians who continue to suffer as a result of the violence of religious madmen.