A 44-year-old Indian-origin man, Prashant Sreekumar, tragically passed away in Canada after allegedly waiting for more than eight hours in a hospital emergency room while suffering from severe chest pain. The incident has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about healthcare delays.
A Father's Agonizing Wait
The ordeal began on Monday, 22 December, when Sreekumar, an accountant and father of three young children, experienced sharp chest pain at his workplace. A client rushed him to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Edmonton, operated by Covenant Health. After an initial triage, he was directed to wait in the emergency room.
Despite repeatedly informing both his family and hospital staff about his extreme discomfort, his wait stretched on for hours. His father, Kumar Sreekumar, recounted the harrowing experience, stating his son told him, "Papa, I cannot bear the pain." Nurses periodically checked his blood pressure, which, according to the father, kept rising alarmingly. "It went up, up, and up. To me, it was through the roof," Kumar told Global News.
The Final Moments
After over eight hours of waiting, Prashant was finally moved into a treatment area. His father described the devastating final moments: "After sitting maybe 10 seconds, he looked at me, he got up and put his hand on his chest and just crashed." Despite efforts, he could not be saved.
The family is now seeking answers on how a patient presenting with clear symptoms of a cardiac emergency was left unattended for such a prolonged period. Prashant Sreekumar is survived by his wife and three children, aged three, ten, and fourteen.
Hospital Response and Ongoing Investigation
In a statement to Global News, Covenant Health extended condolences to the family but declined to comment on the specifics of the case, citing privacy reasons. The organization confirmed that the matter has been referred to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for review.
The hospital's statement added, "We offer our sympathy to the patient’s family and friends. There is nothing more important than the safety and care of our patients and staff." However, this has done little to assuage the grief and anger of a family left mourning a preventable loss.
This tragic incident highlights critical concerns about emergency room overcrowding and triage protocols, resonating deeply with the Indian diaspora and healthcare advocates worldwide.
