A 44-year-old Indian-origin man, Prashant Sreekumar, has died in Canada after allegedly not receiving timely medical care despite complaining of severe chest pain. The incident occurred on December 22 at Grey Nuns Community Hospital, according to a report by Global News.
Sreekumar, a father of three, was taken to the hospital in southeast Edmonton by a client after he developed intense chest pain while at work. He was registered at triage and asked to wait in the emergency room waiting area.
Family recounts hours of distress
Speaking to the media, Sreekumar’s father, Kumar Sreekumar, said his son repeatedly expressed unbearable pain. “He told me, ‘Papa, I cannot bear the pain,’” he recalled.
Hospital staff conducted an electrocardiogram (ECG) but reportedly told the family that there was nothing alarming. Despite Sreekumar rating his pain as “15 out of 10,” he was kept waiting for over eight hours. During this time, he was offered Tylenol, while his blood pressure continued to rise.
“It went up, up, and up. To me, it was through the roof,” his father said.
Collapse after being taken inside
After hours in the waiting room, Sreekumar was finally called into the treatment area. According to his father, within seconds of sitting down, he clutched his chest and collapsed.
Medical staff attempted resuscitation, but he was pronounced dead from an apparent cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife and three children, aged three, 10 and 14.
Hospital response under review
The hospital is operated by Covenant Health. In a statement to Global News, the organisation said it could not comment on individual patient care but confirmed the case is under review by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
“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,” the statement said.
The case has sparked renewed debate about emergency healthcare wait times in Canada, particularly for patients presenting with cardiac symptoms.