EDMONTON, Canada (Diya TV) — A 44-year-old Indian-origin man died after waiting more than eight hours for treatment at a hospital in Edmonton, Canada. The case has raised serious concerns about emergency room wait times and patient safety in the country’s public healthcare system. Prashant Sreekumar collapsed and died of a suspected cardiac arrest on December 22 at the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. His family says he repeatedly complained of severe chest pain but did not receive timely care.
Sreekumar, a father of three, began experiencing intense chest pain while at work in southeast Edmonton. A client drove him to the Grey Nuns Community Hospital. He checked in at triage and then sat in the emergency room waiting area. Soon after, his father, Kumar Sreekumar, arrived at the hospital. He said his son was in extreme distress.
“He told me, ‘Papa, I cannot bear the pain,’” Kumar Sreekumar told Global News.
The family said they informed hospital staff that the pain was severe and worsening. According to the father, his son described the pain as “15 out of 10.”
Hospital staff performed an electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, to check his heart. The family said staff told them the test did not show anything serious. After that, the staff asked them to continue waiting.
Hours passed in the emergency room waiting area. During that time, the staff offered Sreekumar Tylenol for pain relief. His father said the medication did not help. Kumar Sreekumar also said his son’s blood pressure kept rising. He claimed it reached alarming levels as the wait continued.
“It went up, up, and up,” he said. “To me, it was through the roof.”
Despite the symptoms, the family said no doctor had examined Sreekumar for several hours.
After waiting more than eight hours, the staff finally called Sreekumar into the treatment area. His father followed him inside. The moment was brief and tragic.
“After sitting maybe 10 seconds, he looked at me,” Kumar Sreekumar said. “He got up, put his hand on his chest, and just crashed.”
Nurses immediately called for help and began resuscitation efforts. Despite their attempts, doctors could not save him. Prashant Sreekumar died from an apparent cardiac arrest. He left behind his wife and three children, ages 3, 10, and 14.
The Grey Nuns Community Hospital operates under the Covenant Health healthcare network. In a statement to Global News, Covenant Health declined to comment on the specific details of the case. The organization confirmed that the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is reviewing the death.
“We offer our sympathy to the patient’s family and friends,” the statement said. “There is nothing more important than the safety and care of our patients and staff.”
The hospital did not address questions about emergency room wait times or triage decisions in this case.
The death has sparked renewed debate about emergency healthcare delays in Canada. Many patients across the country report long waits in hospital emergency rooms, even for serious symptoms like chest pain.
Medical experts often stress that chest pain can signal life-threatening heart conditions. They say rapid assessment and treatment can save lives. The Sreekumar family believes delays played a role in his death. They hope the case will lead to changes in how hospitals respond to patients with severe symptoms.
Kumar Sreekumar said the family wants accountability and transparency. They also want to prevent similar tragedies.
“He trusted the system,” the father said in earlier remarks. “We trusted the system.”
As the medical examiner reviews the case, the family continues to grieve the loss of a husband and father taken too soon. The incident has drawn public attention in Edmonton and beyond. It adds pressure on health authorities to address emergency room overcrowding and staffing shortages. For many families, the case serves as a painful reminder of the risks linked to delayed emergency care.
