On Friday, December 27, 2025, Elon Musk criticized Canada's healthcare system following the death of Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old Indian-origin man, in Edmonton. Sreekumar died on December 22nd after waiting for eight hours to receive treatment at Grey Nuns Community Hospital in Alberta.
Musk responded to the incident by comparing Canada's healthcare system to the United States Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), known for its inefficiency. He made the remark while quoting a post that read the wife of the man “was told she was being rude after her husband died while waiting to be seen in the ER for over 8 hours with chest pain". Musk shared a video of Sreekumar's wife recounting her husband's death on X (formerly Twitter).
Prashant Sreekumar, an accountant and father of three, experienced severe chest pain at work and was taken to the hospital. Upon arrival, he was checked in at triage and asked to wait in the emergency room. Hospital staff performed an electrocardiogram (ECG) and offered him Tylenol for the pain. While nurses monitored his blood pressure, he remained in the waiting area for over eight hours. Sreekumar's father, Kumar Sreekumar, said his son told him the pain was "a 15 out of 10" and that he "cannot bear the pain".
Sreekumar's death has sparked widespread concern and debate regarding healthcare access, emergency response protocols, and systemic issues within Canada's publicly funded healthcare system. The incident has particularly resonated within Canada's Indian community, with leaders emphasizing the issues of long waiting times and hospital bed shortages. Sreekumar's wife is demanding accountability from the hospital.
Covenant Health, which operates Grey Nuns Hospital, stated they could not comment on specific patient care details due to privacy reasons. However, they confirmed the case is under review by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. In an email to Global News, Covenant Health expressed their sympathy to the family, stating that "there is nothing more important than the safety and care of our patients and staff".
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has acknowledged Sreekumar's death, confirming he was a Canadian national of Indian origin and stated that the Canadian government should take responsibility in the matter.
Musk's criticism has ignited a debate online, with some echoing his concerns about long wait times and systemic delays. Others have defended Canada's universal healthcare system, highlighting its comprehensive coverage and contrasting it with the high costs associated with private healthcare systems in other countries. Some reports indicate that Sreekumar's death has prompted renewed scrutiny of how medical emergencies are handled, especially for immigrants and minorities. While Canadian authorities have not issued a detailed response to Musk's comments, healthcare experts have stated that provinces are actively working to address staffing shortages and reduce waiting times.
