Family’s Tragedy Sparks Outrage Over Edmonton ER Wait Times
What began as a simple, loving gesture ended in a devastating loss that is now drawing national and even international attention. On the morning of his death, Prashanth Sreekumar quietly got out of bed early, hoping to surprise his wife with a perfect mug of chai. He even used ChatGPT to make sure he prepared it just right. A few hours later, that ordinary day would turn into a nightmare that his family says should never have happened.
Prashanth, a 44-year-old accountant and father of three, went to work just days before Christmas. Later that morning, he called his wife, Niharika, saying he was experiencing severe chest pain and was losing vision in his left eye. A client rushed him to Grey Nuns Community Hospital in southeast Edmonton. From there, the waiting began.
According to his wife, Prashanth waited more than eight hours in the emergency room. An initial assessment showed his blood pressure was high, but it was concluded that he did not need immediate care. As the hours passed, his condition worsened. He struggled to speak, vomited several times, and was clearly in distress. Still, he remained in the waiting area as beds were unavailable.
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When his name was finally called after 8 p.m., staff brought him into the treatment area despite the lack of space. Within about a minute of walking through the door, he collapsed. What his wife thought was fainting quickly became something far worse. “I thought he was fainting, but actually he was dying,” she later said.
Prashanth died on December 22, leaving behind his wife and three young children. His death has fueled anger and heartbreak, with his wife openly blaming the system she believes failed him. A video of her emotional reaction, shared widely on social media, struck a nerve with people across the country who fear similar outcomes for their own loved ones.
The Alberta government has since ordered an investigation. Acute Care Alberta is leading a review into the circumstances surrounding his death, with Covenant Health, which operates Grey Nuns Hospital, participating. The province has said there will be no public or judicial inquiry, though Alberta’s Chief Medical Examiner is also conducting a review.
Health care experts say this case highlights a deeper, system-wide problem. Emergency rooms across Canada are overwhelmed, particularly during flu season. Long waits have become common, and triage systems can begin to break down when hospitals operate beyond capacity. In Alberta alone, average ER wait times hover around five hours, with some hospitals reporting even longer delays.
For Niharika Sreekumar, the statistics offer little comfort. She says her husband did everything he was supposed to do to get help, yet never made it home. As investigations continue, her family’s grief has become a painful symbol of a health care system many believe is stretched to its breaking point.
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