COIMBATORE: A Class 10 student of a government school in Madukkarai taluk, who is suffering from a spinal cord issue, will soon undergo surgery at a private hospital in Coimbatore after the district collector’s intervention.

S Surjith (14), a student at Kurumbampalayam Government School in Madukkarai taluk, has been suffering from spinal cord curvature disorder (scoliosis) and cannot sit for long hours in the classroom.

His father, K Suresh Kumar, who runs a small puncture stall on the roadside at Madukkarai took him to a government hospital. As the surgery facility is not available at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital, he was referred to Chennai but the family returned due to inconvenience in providing treatment.

They approached a private hospital, but since they could not afford the treatment, Surjith’s headmaster brought the matter to the attention of District Collector Pavankumar G Giriyappanavar. The collector then spoke with the officials at Ganga Hospital, where the student's family was told to arrange Rs 4.5 lakh for the surgery.

The hospital administration announced they would bear the cost of Rs 3.5 lakh for the surgery and asked Surjith’s family to arrange Rs 1 lakh. The collector then spoke to a private organisation and arranged the funds.

The surgery has been scheduled on April 15 after the completion of Surjith’s public exam, and he has been asked to be admitted to the hospital on April 14.

Surjith, his father Suresh Kumar and mother S Sheeja met the collector on Wednesday and thanked him for the timely support.

"We had visited many hospitals and returned due to cost issues. Upon learning about our struggle, the school headmaster took the matter to the collector's knowledge. We did not think the treatment would be arranged at such an early date. We are thankful to him and the headmaster of the school," Suresh Kumar told TNIE.