Vikram Sandhu, 42, left India for Canada five years ago dreaming of a better future. Instead, he died in a crowded Edmonton hospital waiting room whilst his wife desperately begged nurses to help him.
What Happened
Last Tuesday, Vikram went to A&E with severe chest pain and couldn't breathe properly. Even though he was obviously struggling, staff told him he wasn't an emergency. For nine hours, he sat clutching his chest in a plastic chair while his wife Anjali pleaded with anyone who'd listen.
People there said the waiting room was packed to bursting – some patients were literally lying on the floor. When a nurse finally called Vikram's name, he'd already collapsed. They tried to bring him back but couldn't save him.
Who He Was
Vikram came from Punjab five years ago. He grafted at two jobs to support his elderly mum and dad and his two little kids. Everyone round his way says he was a really decent fella who never complained.
His cousin Harpreet said: "He did everything right. Paid his taxes, played by the rules, went to hospital thinking they'd look after him. This wasn't doctors messing up – the whole bloody system's falling apart."
Why It Keeps Happening
Health experts in Alberta are calling it "a death that didn't need to happen". The hospital says it'll look into what went wrong, but everyone already knows: there aren't enough staff, and patients are stuck in A&E with nowhere to go because all the beds are full. It's the same story all over Canada.
What We Know
- Vikram Sandhu, 42
- Left waiting around 9 hours in A&E
- Died of a heart attack before doctors could see him properly
- People are now demanding the government fixes waiting times and hires more staff