Inquest continues into deaths of Sachintha Nandula Battagodage and Hemant Chadha who died after repeated visits to Adelaide hospitals

A paramedic who allegedly told a man who died from pneumonia that he had “man flu” never undertook further training, despite promises to the grieving wife, an inquest has heard.

A paramedic who allegedly told a man who died from pneumonia that he had “man flu” never undertook further recommended training, despite promises to the wife, an inquest has heard.

An inquest has heard Hemant Chadha and Sachintha Nandula Battagodage – who had serious symptoms dismissed by Adelaide hospitals – would have likely lived if their pleas for help weren’t ignored.

Mr Chadha’s wife, Prabhleen Chadha, previously told the inquest her husband was allegedly treated poorly by paramedic Paul Vinar on two occasions, including allegedly telling him he just had man flu.

Giving evidence on Monday, SA Ambulance Service state duty manager Sarah Beale told the inquest she recommended Mr Vinar undertake cultural awareness and code of ethics training packages after a complaint letter from Mrs Chadha.

“From my perspective it again came back to that perception, so even if it wasn’t their intent to put that out there and cause some sort of offence or issue that was what had been perceived and therefore the benefit of completing training was in that perception,” Ms Beale said.

SA Ambulance Service state duty manager Sarah Beale gave evidence in the inquest. Photo: LinkedIn

The inquest heard Mrs Chadha received a letter from SA Ambulance Service that the behaviours displayed did not meet their high standards and Mr Vinar would be undertaking the training.

However, Ms Beale told the inquest she understood the packages weren’t completed by Mr Vinar – as he disputed completing them and it wasn’t enforced by management.

Mrs Chadha wasn’t informed that Mr Vinar didn’t complete the training, which Ms Beale acknowledged from a consumer perspective she should have been.

The inquest heard there had been two previous complaints in regards to Mr Vinar’s attitude.

Opening the inquest into Mr Battagodage and Mr Chadha’s deaths, counsel assisting the coroner Emma Roper said Mr Chadha, 38, began to experience abdominal pain, a fever and cough in early April 2020.

Paramedic Paul Vinar gave evidence in the inquest. Photo: Facebook

On April 17, 2020, Mr Chadha was taken by ambulance to the Royal Adelaide Hospital Emergency Department and was given antibiotics after he was diagnosed with pneumonia.

On April 20, an ambulance was called for Mr Chadha after he saw a GP at Hollywood Plaza.

Mrs Chadha previously told the court when the two ambulance officers arrived, and she requested a wheelchair, the “very rude” Mr Vinar allegedly responded “How did he reach here, did he crawl?”

On April 21, Mrs Chadha called for an ambulance after becoming very concerned about her husband’s condition, with the same officers attending again.

Mrs Chadha told the court Mr Vinar allegedly said her husband just had the “man flu”, he should “man up” and asked “why is he causing all this drama?”.

“Then he turned to him and then he also said ‘naughty naughty, you are naughty’,” she said.

However, Mr Vinar denied in his evidence using the words besides man flu and said that term was the first suggested by the Chadha’s neighbour.

Mr Chadha was eventually taken to the Lyell McEwin Hospital, prescribed anti anxiety medication and discharged.

Mr Chadha was pronounced dead at 5.04am on April 22, with his cause of death found at post-mortem to be acute or chronic pneumonia.

The court heard further investigation and intervention probably would have prevented Mr Chadha’s death.

The inquest, before Deputy State Coroner Ian White, continues.

Originally published as Inquest continues into deaths of Sachintha Nandula Battagodage and Hemant Chadha who died after repeated visits to Adelaide hospitals