Agian wakes up from coma

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A woman, whose husband persistently sought legal approval for doctors to euthanize her, is finally able to speak coherently.

Agian Isna Naili, 33, greeted her visitors and chatted with Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari on Thursday, while lying on her bed at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital (RSCM). She had been recovering from a coma for the past five months.

"Don't ask about my husband," she said, as quoted by tempointeraktif. Her husband, Hasan Kesuma -- who had claimed he could no longer afford to pay her medical bills -- was nowhere to be seen.

Hasan had also considered suing the hospital for alleged negligence in Agian's treatment. The Central Jakarta District Court, however, rejected the motion and now the health ministry and the hospital have exempted Agian from paying her hospital bills.

Agian fell into a coma shortly after giving birth to her second child through surgery at the Bogor Islamic Hospital in June. She was treated at several other hospitals before being admitted to RSCM on Aug. 27.

Neurologist Yusuf Misbach, head of the Suparjo Rustam special ward where Agian was being treated, said on Thursday that the patient's condition had improved over the last two months.

He said that doctors expected her to recover, although not totally, underlining that Agian was never in as deep a coma as Hasan had claimed. The doctors said that all of her internal organs except for her brain functioned, which only made it difficult for her to move her muscles.

Yusuf, who heads the eight-strong team of doctors treating Agian, added that the hospital was ready to discharge her to be cared for at home, but she had refused.