Demands for answers, action after Moncton Hospital ER waiting room death
Friends of a man who died waiting for care inside the Moncton Hospital’s ER waiting room this past week held a demonstration Saturday outside the building, demanding answers and action.
"I knew him almost 15 to 20 years and I never saw him not smiling," said Abdul Khan, president of the Moncton Muslim Association, which helped organize the demonstration. "He was a very sweet guy, very friendly, a family person."
Khan said he’s only identifying the man by his initials M.S. to protect the privacy of his wife and five children.
Khan said M.S. was a former kidney transplant patient who had a medical procedure on Monday, with instructions to return to the hospital if he felt any back or chest pain.
Khan said M.S. arrived at the Moncton Hospital’s emergency department Tuesday evening around 10 p.m.
"He waited there until 3:30 a.m. [Wednesday] when he collapsed and died," said Khan. "He complained to the staff multiple times about his pain."
Khan said one of his biggest questions was why M.S. had to wait so long after already being identified as high risk patient requiring prompt care.
On Wednesday, the Horizon Health Network confirmed a patient arrived at the Moncton Hospital’s emergency department while it was in "a critical overcapacity state” on Tuesday.
Dr. Serge Melanson, the clinical lead with emergency services at Horizon Health, said the patient was triaged as a priority.
"While waiting to be assessed by the physician, the patient was being monitored by staff and had some early testing completed, however the patient’s condition quickly deteriorated," said Melanson, in a written statement.
Horizon said a review into the incident would be conducted.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.