A report detailing the final hours
of Liberian Patrick Sawyer, the man who brought Ebola virus into Lagos from Liberia
has surfaced. Sawyer was the first documented case of Ebola in Nigeria after he
arrived in Lagos from Monrovia (capital of Liberia) on 20th of July 2014. He
collapsed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport after displaying symptoms of the
disease and was taken to First Consultants Hospital Obalende, Ikoyi.
of Liberian Patrick Sawyer, the man who brought Ebola virus into Lagos from Liberia
has surfaced. Sawyer was the first documented case of Ebola in Nigeria after he
arrived in Lagos from Monrovia (capital of Liberia) on 20th of July 2014. He
collapsed at the Murtala Mohammed Airport after displaying symptoms of the
disease and was taken to First Consultants Hospital Obalende, Ikoyi.
According to the report when Mr.
Sawyer was told he had Ebola he flew into a rage, pulled down his pants and
proceeded to urinate on the medical personnel treating him at First Consultants
Hospital in Obalende.
Sawyer was told he had Ebola he flew into a rage, pulled down his pants and
proceeded to urinate on the medical personnel treating him at First Consultants
Hospital in Obalende.
Sawyer repeatedly denied he had come into contact with
anyone that had Ebola despite the fact his sister had died from the disease in
Monrovia and he had been seen with blood on his clothing after his sister’s
death!
Read excerpts of the Front Page Africa below:
Barely 24 hours before his death,
Patrick Sawyer had a rather strange – and in the words of medical and
diplomatic sources here, “Indiscipline” encounter with nurses and health
workers at First Consultants Hospital in Obalende, Ikoyi.
Patrick Sawyer had a rather strange – and in the words of medical and
diplomatic sources here, “Indiscipline” encounter with nurses and health
workers at First Consultants Hospital in Obalende, Ikoyi.
Looking to get to the bottom of Sawyer’s
strange ailment hospital officials say, he was tested for both malaria and HIV
AIDS. However, when both tests came back negative, he was then asked whether he
had made contact with any person with the Ebola Virus, to which Sawyer denied.
strange ailment hospital officials say, he was tested for both malaria and HIV
AIDS. However, when both tests came back negative, he was then asked whether he
had made contact with any person with the Ebola Virus, to which Sawyer denied.
Sawyer’s sister, Princess had died of the deadly virus on Monday, July 7, 2014
at the Catholic Hospital in Monrovia. On Friday, July 25, 2014, 18 days later,
Sawyer died in Lagos.
at the Catholic Hospital in Monrovia. On Friday, July 25, 2014, 18 days later,
Sawyer died in Lagos.
Authorities at the First Consultants
Hospital in Obalende decided that despite Sawyer’s denial, they would test him
for Ebola, due to the fact that he had just arrived from Liberia, where there
has been an outbreak of the disease with more than 100 deaths.
Hospital in Obalende decided that despite Sawyer’s denial, they would test him
for Ebola, due to the fact that he had just arrived from Liberia, where there
has been an outbreak of the disease with more than 100 deaths.
Upon being told he had Ebola, Mr.
Sawyer went into a rage, denying and objecting to the opinion of the medical
experts. “He was so adamant and difficult that he took the tubes from his body
and took off his pants and urinated on the health workers, forcing them to
flee.”
Sawyer went into a rage, denying and objecting to the opinion of the medical
experts. “He was so adamant and difficult that he took the tubes from his body
and took off his pants and urinated on the health workers, forcing them to
flee.”
Sawyer exhibited similar
indiscipline behavior during his sister’s stay at the Catholic Hospital in
Monrovia where she was taken because he noticed she was bleeding profusely and
was later found to be a victim of Ebola. Sawyer was seen with blood on his
clothing after his sister’s death and had earlier demanded that she be placed
in a private room.
indiscipline behavior during his sister’s stay at the Catholic Hospital in
Monrovia where she was taken because he noticed she was bleeding profusely and
was later found to be a victim of Ebola. Sawyer was seen with blood on his
clothing after his sister’s death and had earlier demanded that she be placed
in a private room.
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf cited indiscipline and
disrespect as a key reason why Sawyer contracted the Ebola virus. She said his
failure to heed medical advice put the lives of other residents across the
nation’s border at risk.
disrespect as a key reason why Sawyer contracted the Ebola virus. She said his
failure to heed medical advice put the lives of other residents across the
nation’s border at risk.
First Consultants would later report
that it resisted immense pressure to let out Sawyer from its hospital against
the insistence from some higher-ups and conference organizers that he had a key
role to play at the ECOWAS convention in Calabar, the Cross River State
capital.
that it resisted immense pressure to let out Sawyer from its hospital against
the insistence from some higher-ups and conference organizers that he had a key
role to play at the ECOWAS convention in Calabar, the Cross River State
capital.
First Consultants said that it then
went further to reach senior officials in the Office of the Secretary of Health
of the USA who assisted it with contacts at the Centre for Disease Control and
W.H.O Regional Laboratory Centre in Senegal. According to the hospital, the
initial results from LUTH laboratory showed a signal of possible Ebola virus,
but required confirmation.
went further to reach senior officials in the Office of the Secretary of Health
of the USA who assisted it with contacts at the Centre for Disease Control and
W.H.O Regional Laboratory Centre in Senegal. According to the hospital, the
initial results from LUTH laboratory showed a signal of possible Ebola virus,
but required confirmation.
The First Consultants statement
noted that it was able to obtain confirmation of Ebola virus disease, (Zaire
strain) after working with the state, federal and international agencies.
Sawyer was pronounced dead at 6:50 AM Nigeria time, on July 25 and all agencies
were properly notified.
noted that it was able to obtain confirmation of Ebola virus disease, (Zaire
strain) after working with the state, federal and international agencies.
Sawyer was pronounced dead at 6:50 AM Nigeria time, on July 25 and all agencies
were properly notified.
Once the case was officially
confirmed, the hospital was temporarily shut down and in-house patients
immediately evacuated. Sawyer’s body was subsequently cremated under W.H.O
guidelines and witnessed by all appropriate agencies, according to the hospital
statement. “In keeping with W.H.O guidelines, the hospital is shut down briefly
as full decontamination exercise is currently in progress. The re-opening of
the hospital will also be in accordance with its guidelines”, the hospital
said.
confirmed, the hospital was temporarily shut down and in-house patients
immediately evacuated. Sawyer’s body was subsequently cremated under W.H.O
guidelines and witnessed by all appropriate agencies, according to the hospital
statement. “In keeping with W.H.O guidelines, the hospital is shut down briefly
as full decontamination exercise is currently in progress. The re-opening of
the hospital will also be in accordance with its guidelines”, the hospital
said.
In total, Sawyer reportedly came in
direct contact with 59 persons, 44 of whom were at the hospital he was taken to
when he fell ill, according to the Lagos State government.
direct contact with 59 persons, 44 of whom were at the hospital he was taken to
when he fell ill, according to the Lagos State government.
His ashes have been returned to
Liberia.
Liberia.
