The widow of late Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian who brought Ebola into Nigeria, has defended her husband’s decision to travel to Africa’s most populous country, saying he did so in desperate search for a country with better healthcare system than his own country.
In an article published earlier today, TMZ Liberia Magazine quoted Decontee Sawyer, who is a radio host in New York, as explaining that Mr. Sawyer had no trust in the healthcare system in Liberia and had possibly headed to Nigeria with the hope of receiving better treatment for his ailment. Mrs. Sawyer shared her thoughts on her Facebook profile from which TMZ Liberia sourced it for publication. Continue..
“I’ve read other reports in other papers (not the New York Times) about Patrick’s “recklessness.” I get where they’re coming from, and they certainly have the right to feel the way they do. However, as Patrick’s widow, I would like to shed some light on this from another perspective. One that only I, his wife, would know,” she wrote. “I knew Patrick better than anybody else (including himself). He had told me many times in the past how much he didn’t trust the Liberian healthcare system. He would tell me about how a person would get checked in for one thing, and get misdiagnosed and get the wrong treatment as a result. On top of that, Patrick was a clean freak, and told me how filthy a lot of the hospitals were.
“He didn’t tell me this, but I know in my heart of hearts that Patrick was determined to get to Nigeria by all means because he felt that Nigeria would be a place of refuge. He has expressed to me many times in the past that he felt passionately about helping to be a part of strengthening Liberia’s healthcare system, but he knew it wasn’t there yet, and he wouldn’t want to take a chance with his life because a lot of people depended on him… Patrick had a passion for life, and he wouldn’t have wanted his to end. So, I bet anything that he was thinking, if I could only get to Nigeria, a way more developed country than Liberia, I would be able to get some help. How ironic.”
Many Nigerians, and even Liberians, condemned Mr Sawyer for traveling to Nigeria despite knowing that he was carrying Ebola virus before embarking on the trip. Some Nigerians on social media have described him as a “biological terrorist” arguing that he came into the country deliberately to spread the disease. On Monday in Abuja, President Goodluck Jonathan described Mr Sawyer’s decision to travel to Nigeria as pure “madness” and “craziness.”
“Sawyer that brought this Ebola to Nigeria; his sister died of Ebola. And he started acting somehow, his country asked him not to leave the country, let them observe him, but the crazy man decided to leave and found his way here,” President Jonathan said. In her post, Mrs. Sawyer wrote that the fact that her husband avoided contact with others at the James Sprigg Payne’s Airport in Monrovia as revealed by airport CCTV footage proved he didn’t set out to infect others with the disease and perhaps his actions were that of a dying man in desperate search for help.
“It has been reported that Patrick avoided physical contact with everyone he came across during his trip from Liberia to Nigeria. When he got to Nigeria, he turned himself in letting them know that he had just flown in from Liberia.
“Patrick went to Nigeria for help so that he can get properly diagnosed, and not misdiagnosed in Liberia. And if it came back that he did have Ebola, he trusted the Nigerian healthcare system a lot more than he trusted the Liberian’s. His action, as off as it was, was a desperate plea for help. Patrick didn’t want to die, and he thought his life would be saved in Nigeria.”
Mrs. Sawyer then took a swipe at the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who said Mr Sawyer was indiscipline and disrespectful for failing to heed medical advise not to travel. Mrs Sawyer said if President Johnson-Sirleaf had fixed the healthcare system in Liberia, her husband would not have left in search of treatment elsewhere.
“I write today, not simply because of Patrick, but because of the broken healthcare system in the Liberia, and the government’s inability under President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (and other past Presidents) to fix it. Good doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers aren’t given the support they need to save lives.
“President Sirleaf went on CNN News throwing stones at Patrick, a man who can no longer defend himself, a man who worked tirelessly for Liberia. She should be ashamed of herself. I use to admire this woman, and was excited and proud of her accomplishment as the first woman President in the entire continent of Africa. She will always own that. We will always own that. It can’t be taken away from her. It’s something to be proud of. But this woman has failed her country,” she wrote.
Nigeria was free of Ebola until July 20 when Mr. Sawyer arrived. He became terribly ill on his flight and was rushed to the First Consultant Hospital Obalende, Lagos, where he died on July 24.
Nigeria’s Health Minister, Onyebuchi Chukwu, said on Monday that although the Liberian government has apologized for the incidence, it was pertinent to note that Nigeria was free of Ebola Virus until its importation by the Liberian-American. Mr. Sawyer’s action, he said, has placed unnecessary stress on Nigeria’s health system. Since Mr. Sawyer’s death in a Lagos hospital, two other persons who had contact with him have died of the virus. At least eight others have also tested positive to the infection and have been quarantined at a Lagos hospital.
President Goodluck Jonathan has since declared a national emergency on the disease while the federal health ministry in conjunction with health ministries in the 36 states are working to prevent the spread of the virus, which has killed over 1,000 people in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.
An interesting read. However if Mr Sawyer really wanted to help himself he should have been TRUTHFUL and DISCLOSED the background to his sister's death. He may have "avoided human contact " in the plane and/or airprt but I bet he used the toilet, had sometning to ear whilst on transit - both modes to the spreading of Ebola!
You can condemn the Liberian healthcare system as much as you can - your husband should have OBEYED the last command and NOT TRAVELLED OUTof Liberia. Now because of his "love of life" he has passed Ebola on to others. Some of who ave DIED.
He sought and got American citizen - why did he not FLY "home" to America?After all WE are made to believe they have the BEST medical services in the WORLD.
Your husband may have ADMIRED the healthcare system in Nigeria from AFAR however those who wake up everyday in Nigeria with one ailment or another know how much we have to jump from one government hospital to private hospitals AND still not be given a correct DIAGNOSIS. This is why "RICH" Nigerians FLY OUT of Nigeria for DENTIST and DOCTOR appointments.
Is Mr Sawyers wife willing to PAY the hospital fees her husband incurred before he died to the Nigeria healthcare sustem. After all Nigerians are MADE to pay their hospital BILLS whether they end up DEAD or ALIVE on discharge!!!
Posted: at 14-08-2014 07:12 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
If it's true that Mr. Patrick Sawyer was searching for better health care system and he's holding American passport why can't he travel to America for medical help. After all, American heath care system is far better than that of Nigeria. I think there is more to his decision to travel to Nigeria rather than America. God knows the best.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 07:22 AM (9 years ago) | Newbie
An interesting read. However if Mr Sawyer really wanted to help himself he should have been TRUTHFUL and DISCLOSED the background to his sister's death. He may have "avoided human contact " in the plane and/or airport but I bet he used the toilet, had sometning to eat whilst on transit - both modes to the spreading of Ebola!
You can condemn the Liberian healthcare system as much as you can - your husband should have OBEYED the last command and NOT TRAVELLED OUTof Liberia. Now because of his "love of life" he has passed Ebola on to others. Some of whom have DIED.
He sought and got American citizenship - why did he not FLY "home" to America?After all WE are made to believe they have the BEST medical services in the WORLD.
Your husband may have ADMIRED the healthcare system in Nigeria from AFAR however those who wake up everyday in Nigeria with one ailment or another know how much we have to jump from one government hospital to private hospitals AND still not be given a correct DIAGNOSIS. This is why "RICH" Nigerians FLY OUT of Nigeria for DENTIST and DOCTOR appointments.
Is Mr Sawyers wife willing to PAY the hospital fees her husband incurred before he died to the Nigeria healthcare sustem. After all Nigerians are MADE to pay their hospital BILLS whether they end up DEAD or ALIVE on discharge!!!
Posted: at 14-08-2014 07:23 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Chericoco at 14-08-2014 08:07 AM (9 years ago) (f)
That bastard knew how deadly Ebola is. He avoided contact in the liberian airport. Meaning he didn't want to infect liberians. When he got to nigeria why did he let doctors, nurses, airport officials get close contact with him? He was just a selfish bastard that wanted people to go down with him. Is there a cure for Ebola in nigeria? He should have board a plane to America and infect his daughters and wife. That stupid widow of patrick need to shout up.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 08:07 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Chericoco at 14-08-2014 08:15 AM (9 years ago) (f)
Quote from: angesco on 14-08-2014 07:23 AM
An interesting read. However if Mr Sawyer really wanted to help himself he should have been TRUTHFUL and DISCLOSED the background to his sister's death. He may have "avoided human contact " in the plane and/or airport but I bet he used the toilet, had sometning to eat whilst on transit - both modes to the spreading of Ebola!
You can condemn the Liberian healthcare system as much as you can - your husband should have OBEYED the last command and NOT TRAVELLED OUTof Liberia. Now because of his "love of life" he has passed Ebola on to others. Some of whom have DIED.
He sought and got American citizenship - why did he not FLY "home" to America?After all WE are made to believe they have the BEST medical services in the WORLD.
Your husband may have ADMIRED the healthcare system in Nigeria from AFAR however those who wake up everyday in Nigeria with one ailment or another know how much we have to jump from one government hospital to private hospitals AND still not be given a correct DIAGNOSIS. This is why "RICH" Nigerians FLY OUT of Nigeria for DENTIST and DOCTOR appointments.
Is Mr Sawyers wife willing to PAY the hospital fees her husband incurred before he died to the Nigeria healthcare sustem. After all Nigerians are MADE to pay their hospital BILLS whether they end up DEAD or ALIVE on discharge!!!
That bastard should have gone to America to get Zmapp. He knew he has Ebola he board a plane to nigeria to go down with innocent people.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 08:15 AM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
I don't want to finish reading dis crap cus she is lying jt wat american wants her to say. Why now since d husband died. See madam nigerians are not fools. For d lives ur husband came to claim jt to bring dis ebola, GOD will judge him.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 08:51 AM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Decontee Sawyer the fact that your husband avoided contact with others at the James Sprigg Payne’s Airport in Monrovia as revealed by airport CCTV footage and ''urinated'' on all the staff in Nigeria hospital where he was diagnosed with Ebola (which he was well awareof proved he set out to infect others with the disease and his actions were that of a dying man who got paid as an agent for spreading Ebola in Nigeria......he had to do that to leave money behind for you and your children, he had to secure your lives before living with EVIL MONEY.......how else do you describe this act of a LiberianAmerican who wanted the best MED. country in African continent and not your HOT MINNESOTA ........Your husband really and truely was a ''biological terrorist !?! Apparently, it's a mission accomplished
Sorry for your loss Decontee, but I don't like you very much: You're not a good mind reader lady, your husband was a very, very wicked crook. MAY HE ROT IN HELL
Posted: at 14-08-2014 08:56 AM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
I don't want to finish reading dis crap cus she is lying jt wat american wants her to say. Why now since d husband died. See madam nigerians are not fools. For d lives ur husband came to claim jt to bring dis ebola, GOD will judge him.
Well, it's the same American that will get rid of her and her family nah.....
Posted: at 14-08-2014 09:18 AM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
Who is really sure this woman isn't suffering from EVD. Her comments of late speaks volume.Why did Mr. Sawyer urinate on the health officials who tried to help him out? Why did he insist on heading to Calabar after Nigerian health officials inform him of his EVD status? Why didn't you - Mrs Sawyer advice your husband to head to America instead. Were you Mrs Sawyer also aware Nigerian Medical Doctors have been on strike in the last couple of months? Could it be that you advertently conspire with your late hubby to spread this virus to a populous nation like Nigeria? If your intentions weren't nefarious, then your answer to this begging question will convince everyone.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 09:58 AM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
The foolish man should have travel to Europe or America instead, what is the difference between Liberia and Nigeria health system, Madam it's pure wickedness from your late husband, too bad to put 160 million pple in health hazard.
Posted: at 14-08-2014 10:10 AM (9 years ago) | Newbie
odprince
queenbabe
daveobahon
Chericoco
seveneleven
whizspecoy
winace
NaWahooo
........Your husband really and truely was a ''biological terrorist !?! Apparently, it's a mission accomplished 
yadeolah
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