[1]Fate has been cruel to S. Sridevi, a travelling ticket examiner with the Southern Railways. This 43-year-old divorcee has been living all alone in her house in Kumbalam for the past five years with a pet dog being her only company.
Now she has been diagnosed with a serious lung ailment and is semi-conscious. Hospital charges are currently being borne by her colleagues.
“For the last two months or so, she has been on sick leave. On the 25th evening she got herself admitted to the Amritha Hospital after her condition worsened.
But with the railways yet to allot an emergency fund, the hospital forcefully discharged her the next day. Finally she has been admitted to another private hospital and is in a serious condition,” A. Nizaam, a co-worker and an Ernakulam ticket checking staff member said.
“We came to know about her hospitalisation on the 25th evening when the hospital authorities contacted us. She lost her father at a tender age and also her mother soon after her marriage.
Her spouse abandoned her years ago. Her only relative, her brother who is not on good-terms with her, refused to help,” Nizaam said.
Meanwhile, P. Unnikrishnan, SRMU divisional president, blamed the railways’ “indifference” for her plight. Two years ago, the railways had terminated its contract with a city hospital for treating staff in case of mishaps.
“The doctors say she should be put on a ventilator but how long can her colleagues help? The railways should immediately reach an agreement with a good hospital to treat our staff, ”said Unnikrishnan.
Links:
[1] http://archive.asianage.com/sree-1jpgcropdisplayjpg-654