Henry Afakasi Obituary, Death News – The death of 38-year-old Henry Afakasi in 2016 at the Auckland South Corrections Facility has continued to resonate years later, largely because it revealed a significant weakness in how medical emergencies were handled inside the prison system. Afakasi collapsed from a sudden medical episode—later confirmed to be a heart-related emergency—while he was in custody. Although a newly released coroner’s report stops short of blaming the overall standard of medical care he received, it highlights a short but crucial delay in calling for professional medical help, a delay that may have affected the outcome.
Coroner Katharine Greig’s findings determined that Afakasi had been receiving proper treatment for his heart condition prior to the incident. According to the report, he had access to appropriate health monitoring, and nothing suggests that negligence in his long-term care contributed to the tragedy. When Afakasi collapsed, fellow inmates were quick to step in. They placed him in a safe position meant to help someone who appears unwell—an action the coroner specifically acknowledged as appropriate given what they understood at the time.
The situation became more urgent when it was clear that Afakasi was no longer responsive. At that point, staff recognized that he needed emergency attention and immediately started CPR. Their quick reaction reflected their training and awareness of the severity of the moment. What went wrong was not their willingness to act, but the breakdown in communication that followed. Despite CPR beginning right away, an ambulance was not called for approximately two minutes. In the context of cardiac emergencies, every moment without professional intervention greatly reduces the chances of survival, which is why the delay has become one of the most heavily scrutinized elements of the case.
The coroner’s report emphasizes that while two minutes may sound brief, it can be profoundly important during a life-threatening medical crisis. The investigation does not suggest that staff acted with disregard, but rather that the situation unfolded quickly and became chaotic, causing essential steps to be missed or delayed. This incident exposed a gap in emergency procedures—a gap that, if unaddressed, could put others at risk in the future.
In response to these findings, Coroner Greig has outlined a series of recommendations designed to strengthen emergency response protocols. One of her key directives is the need for absolute clarity on when staff must call for an ambulance. She noted that the safest approach is to ensure the call is made immediately whenever a situation appears serious, instead of waiting to confirm every detail. This clarity is especially important in environments where emergencies can escalate rapidly.
Additionally, the coroner has urged the Corrections department to strengthen its training requirements. She recommended that all staff members receive consistent refresher courses in first aid, including training related to CPR and the use of defibrillators. These skills must remain sharp and second nature, she said, so that staff can respond decisively even under stressful conditions where confusion or panic might otherwise interfere.
While these measures cannot reverse the loss of Henry Afakasi, they represent an effort to ensure that future medical emergencies inside the facility are handled with exactness from the very first moment. The recommendations serve as both a call for improvement and a reminder of how vital clear procedures and continuous training are in protecting lives.
Afakasi’s death remains a painful chapter for those who knew him and for the wider community that followed the case. The hope now is that the lessons drawn from this tragedy will lead to meaningful changes—changes that prioritize swift action, clear communication, and the best possible chance of survival for anyone facing a critical medical emergency behind prison walls.
