Ottawa Woman Calls for Health-Care Reform in New Brunswick Following Husband’s Death on Vacation

An Ontario woman is advocating for urgent health-care reform in New Brunswick after her husband died in a Moncton hospital while they were on vacation. Anne Makhoul is urging Canadians to be vigilant advocates for their loved ones in emergency rooms and is calling on candidates in New Brunswick’s upcoming provincial election to confront what she describes as a crisis in the healthcare system.

The couple, Anne and Danny Makhoul, who were married for 40 years, had a deep affection for the Maritimes, stemming from Anne’s roots in Nova Scotia. They had honeymooned in Prince Edward Island and visited New Brunswick multiple times. “I’ll never not love the Maritimes, but it’s certainly been colored by my experience in Moncton,” she shared in an interview from her Ottawa home.

In August 2023, while on a two-week vacation, Danny, 64, began experiencing severe abdominal pain after they had eaten soup that didn’t agree with them. Initially dismissing it as food poisoning, the situation escalated, prompting Makhoul to call 911 late at night when the emergency department at Sackville Memorial Hospital, which operates only during daytime hours, was closed.

Paramedics arrived within eight minutes and recorded Danny's pain level as an eight out of ten. After administering fluids and medication, they transported him to Moncton Hospital, a journey that took about 35 minutes. Makhoul was pleased with the paramedics’ care but quickly grew concerned with the treatment her husband received in the emergency department.

“They really didn’t seem to be very interested,” she recalled. “They just made a decision that, you know, ‘This guy has food poisoning. Why is she bothering us?’” 

After being placed in a small room off the ER, Makhoul noted that her husband received minimal attention from medical staff from around 2 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Despite her repeated requests for pain medication and fluids, Danny was only offered Tylenol, which she found illogical given his condition. His medical records indicated that an intravenous (IV) line was reinserted at 8:45 a.m., but he didn’t see a doctor until 8:30 a.m., well after the recommended triage times.

Tragically, Danny passed away on August 14, 2023, from "necrotic/ischemic enterocolitis," a condition resulting from a lack of blood and oxygen flow to his intestines, according to an autopsy report shared with CBC News by Makhoul.

In the wake of her husband's death, Makhoul reached out to Horizon Health Network to express her dissatisfaction with the lack of communication and compassion she and her husband experienced. Margaret Melanson, president and CEO of Horizon Health, issued an apology to the family, acknowledging the shortcomings in care and stating that the organization is actively working on recruitment and retention efforts to improve staffing levels. However, she did not address whether any disciplinary actions had been taken.

Makhoul also filed a complaint with the Nurses Association of New Brunswick (NANB) more than a year ago but has yet to hear the outcome. NANB's interim CEO, Kate Sheppard, stated that while she cannot discuss ongoing matters, the association takes all complaints seriously.

With New Brunswick's provincial election approaching on October 21, Makhoul has contacted various political parties to share her story, urging them to focus on improving the healthcare system. Progressive Conservative Health Minister Bruce Fitch acknowledged the need for improvements but is not seeking re-election. Meanwhile, the New Brunswick Liberal Party outlined a plan to build collaborative health-care clinics and offer retention bonuses for nurses. 

Political scientist Gabriel Arsenault from Université de Moncton has noted a trend toward bold healthcare promises from various parties, including the Green Party’s focus on healthcare, a shift from their traditional environmental agenda. Dr. Chris Goodyear, a general surgeon at Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, has challenged political candidates to experience working in an ER for 48 hours to gain firsthand insight into the struggles faced by healthcare workers and patients.

Makhoul stands behind this call to action, urging all Canadians to be persistent advocates for their loved ones in emergency situations. “If it’s a crisis in New Brunswick, it’s becoming a crisis everywhere,” she stated, highlighting the need for systemic change in the healthcare landscape.