YELLOWKNIFE — The Northwest Territories is promising to investigate the death of an aboriginal elder misdiagnosed as drunk when he was suffering from a stroke.
Health Minister Glen Abernethy has called a full external probe into the death of Hugh Papik, an Aklavik man who had a stroke on Aug. 3.
Maggie Papik says she was called to the home where her uncle was living and told he was drunk — even though the 67-year-old was yelling that he was sober.
Papik says staff at the local health centre didn't perform a physical on her uncle despite the fact he had a history of heart trouble.
By the time he was flown to a hospital in Yellowknife, it was too late.
Hugh Papik was pronounced brain dead and was removed from life support last week.
