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 http://
www.mytmzliberia.net/) 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.
“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.”

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.

Source: https://m.premiumtimesng.com/news/166660-ebola-why-patrick-sawyer-travelled-to-nigeria-wife.html

Patrick Sawyer's widow.

Even d hopeless look on nigeria as a dier only hope

Oh God!!!

Is Nigeria not the same as Liberia in terms of health care? Was he not American? Why did he not travel to America. Rubbish. She is talking because the man did not want to kill his own family. Instead he came to Nigeria, knowing he would die and had the terrible dissease. Obviously came to spread it, considering he was an American citizen and could get better care in America. He caused the loss of lives of other people's bread winners so that his own family can be safe. How selfish and wicked. All he needed to do was call the American embassy, and all this stories that touch would not have been our problem in Nigeria

i think only the man knows why he came to nigeria...his wife just want to calm nigerians down with his sweet words.

Nonsense stories. Why didn't he go to America instead of coming to Nigeria, if he doesn't have d intention of spreading it, why did he became violent @ d hospital. God wil judge him.

Haha... This is serious and interesting, how can a blind man look up to his fellow blind man when crossing the road? They'll both be crushed by the incoming vehicle(s). That's just the situation btw Patrick Sawyer (Liberia) and Nigeria, we're both blind to see and prepare for Ebola, so it's presently crushing us (Africa).

Yet the late Pat had no justifiable cause to come here. He could have warned the medics and the innocent souls that came in contact with him not to move near him. He didn't do that. I didnt want to agree with GEJ before but having read the defence of his wife, I wilfully break that African adage that you dont speak ill of the dead. Pat, you were wicked!

Better healthcare? She he no see South Africa or USA in? He was an American after all.

I'm sure those health officials that tended to him woulda been more careful if he had told them he was having Ebola virus. Things wouldn't have taken this turn.

Oh please!!!!!!! Mrs Sawyer,spare us the c.ock and bull stories. What stopped your evil husband from informing his care givers that he was infected with Ebola virus?

And why didn't he avoid physical contact when he arrived Nigeria the way he did in his country?

Nonsense!

AGgal: Oh please!!!!!!! Mrs Sawyer,spare us the c.ock and bull stories. What stopped your evil husband from informing his care givers that he was infected with Ebola virus?

And why didn't he avoid physical contact when he arrived Nigeria the way he did in his country?

Nonsense!

That's the that keeps running through my mind.

AGgal: Oh please!!!!!!! Mrs Sawyer,spare us the c.ock and bull stories. What stopped your evil husband from informing his care givers that he was infected with Ebola virus?

And why didn't he avoid physical contact when he arrived Nigeria the way he did in his country?

Nonsense!

That's the question that keeps running through my mind.

this woman is crazy wit dis nonsense story she is telng us So its nig dat has gud medical facilities dat cn hlp his conditn God wil judge him accordngly

i think dis patrick's action is delibrate and conspiracy!

let patrick sawyer's wife come to nig and tell the family of afected people dis nonsense story its then she wil knw what her husband has done to nigerian. Let her jst come down to nigeria and see