About 16,600 Children Lost parents to Ebola in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leon – UNICEF

Thousands of children who have lost parents to the west African Ebola epidemic risk are being shunned by frightened and suspicious relatives, the UN children's fund said.

UNICEF has said  about 16,600 children are registered as having lost one or both parents, or primary care-givers to Ebola in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone so far, the United Nations Children’s Fund.

 UNICEF made this disclosure at the Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Manuel Fontaine, in New York on Friday.

“Since overcoming their initial fears and misconceptions about Ebola virus, families have been showing incredible support, providing care and protection for children whose parents have died. This shows the strength of kinship ties and the extraordinary resilience of communities at a time of great hardship,” Mr. Fontaine said.

Mr. Fontaine said UNICEF was helping to identify children without parents or caregivers with the view to providing immediate care and protection to them and assistance would either be through extended family members, community members or foster families.

In Guinea, for example, UNICEF said all 773 children who lost both parents have been placed with their extended families. It added that children and the families looking after them were regularly given cash and material assistance.
 
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Photo AFP