A grieving husband is calling for reform after his wife died of sepsis just days after giving birth, alleging that hospital staff missed critical warning signs.
Ravinder Kaur Sidhu, 40, was recovering in the postpartum unit at Credit Valley Hospital in Ontario on June 19 after delivering her third child when she began “showing signs of serious infection,” her husband, Gurinder Sidhu, wrote in a Change.org petition, saying his family is now “shattered.”
According to the petition, Ravinder developed a high fever of nearly 103 degrees, began shaking, and experienced a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Gurinder claims in a statement to PEOPLE that there was “a ~30-hour delay to targeted antibiotics, no Rapid Response activation despite repeated hypotension/tachycardia, and an early fixation on her leg while severe pelvic pain was downplayed.”
“I believe that if action had been taken when she first showed signs of sepsis, she would still be here,” he said.
In a statement to PEOPLE, a spokesperson for Credit Valley Hospital responded: “We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mrs. Ravinder Sidhu. This is a profound loss, and our thoughts are with all those who are grieving, including members of our team.
“We take the concerns raised by her family very seriously. As part of our commitment to the highest standards of care, we have initiated a thorough review process led by an interdisciplinary team of clinical experts. This process includes listening closely to the family, engaging directly with the care team, and examining our policies and practices as we strive to deliver the highest quality of care.”
Speaking with CTV, Gurinder said that for two days, his wife was only given Advil and Tylenol. She was moved to the ICU only after an infection appeared on her leg.
“By that point, she was already being eaten alive by the bacteria,” he told the outlet.
Doctors later diagnosed Ravinder with a rapidly progressing Group A strep infection, which had severely damaged her uterus and begun spreading to her leg, according to Gurinder’s petition.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control notes that Group A strep can cause a range of illnesses, from strep throat and scarlet fever to more dangerous conditions like necrotizing fasciitis and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. In Ravinder’s case, the infection led to sepsis, a life-threatening condition where the body reacts improperly to infection.
Four days after giving birth, Ravinder died. “She never returned home to the family she adored,” Gurinder wrote.
He is now calling for mandatory changes in Ontario’s medical system, including “a one-hour sepsis protocol in every Ontario birthing unit,” quicker administration of antibiotics once sepsis is suspected, and the ability for nurses to escalate care immediately when patients show shock-level vital signs. Gurinder is also demanding that the hospital release the results of its internal investigation.
In its statement to PEOPLE, Credit Valley Hospital emphasized that it cannot release personal medical details due to privacy laws but said it is committed to “full transparency with the family about the findings of the review” and pledged to implement any necessary changes.
The hospital outlined its current sepsis response, which includes monitoring vital signs, drawing blood cultures, providing IV fluids, administering broad-spectrum antibiotics, and using vasopressors if needed. “Once sepsis has been recognized, the goal is to start treatment – within the first hour – while applying sound medical judgement to each case,” the statement said.
Still, Gurinder argues that existing procedures are not enough. “Sepsis can’t wait,” he told PEOPLE. “Ontario still lacks a province-wide mandate that birthing units begin cultures and antibiotics within one hour of red-flag vitals. Our petition calls for that rule, plus transparent investigations and conflict-of-interest safeguards so families don’t face the barriers we did.”
The loss has left the family devastated. “Our newborn son will never know his mother’s voice. Our six- and seven-year-olds ask why Mom didn’t come home,” Gurinder said. “Ravinder was also a healthcare leader who built three physiotherapy clinics — her staff and patients are grieving alongside us. We’re trying to transform that grief into change that protects other mothers.”
He added: “Ravinder did everything right — she asked for help, again and again. The system has to meet families with urgency, not dismissal. We’re asking for solutions that are simple, measurable, and life-saving: the one-hour sepsis protocol in every birthing unit, real escalation culture, and transparent, independent reviews when things go wrong.”
