Written By: Bhavyajyoti Chilukoti | Published : October 18, 2014 12:58 PM IST
A U.N. official has said that the deadly Ebola outbreak has crippled the minds of children in West African countries. He further added that children in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, three of the worst Ebola-hit nations of West Africa, are extremely troubled and perplexed by the Ebola disease that lead to closing of schools for millions of kids, produced more than 3,700 orphans and discouraged sports due to the fear of contracting the virus. (Read: Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ))
Sarah Crowe, chief of crisis communications for the UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund), who returned to New York after spending more than a month in Liberia said that Ebola virus has 'hijacked lives of children' in the West African nation. She further said that a 6-year-old Liberian girl has asked her that when will the Ebola virus leave the nation as she wants to go back to her school. The WHO (World Health Organization) has said that the death toll of Ebola outbreak has risen to more than 4,546, out of 9,191 cases that are reported from three of the worst-affected West African countries namely Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. Apart from these, few cases have also been reported from the US, Spain, Senegal and Nigeria.
In addition to this, a different strain of Ebola virus is reported in Democratic Republic of Congo which has claimed around 49 lives. Crowe said that the Ebola outbreak has completely changed the way people live and also how they die. She further added that the deadly virus has tarnished the sense of compassion. Although UNICEF said that it requires more than $200 million to fight against the Ebola virus, it has received just one-third of the funds as of now. (Read: Ebola virus causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and prevention)
UNICEF said that more than 3,700 kids in these nations have lost either one or both of their parents. Crowe said, 'around 600 orphaned children in Liberia have been reunited with their relatives of extended family members. This deadlt Ebola outbreak will undoubtedly leave a large chunk of unhappy children. These kids are puzzled by rescue teams 'looking like astronauts' entering their homes to take away their ill relatives or dead family members.'
UNICEF is planning to set up interim healthcare centres for kids in contact with Ebola infected person . They will be taken care by a trained network of Ebola survivors, who have acquired immunity to deal with the disease. In addition to battling the Ebola disease,UNICEF is on its way to rebuild a primary healthcare unit for kids and Ebola-infected people. Crowe said, 'It would be very infuriating in the face of epidemic outbreak that children would be at the receiving end of diseases that can be effectively prevented like malaria and measles.' (Read: 8 tips to prevent Ebola infection)
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