World Vision warns of long road to recovery in Sierra Leone

World Vision has urged global leaders attending the European Union High-level Conference on Ebola today in Brussels to offer increased support for children in West Africa as new figures emerged showing that over 8,000 have been left orphaned in Sierra Leone alone.
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According to a recent report by the Sierra Leone government, over 16, 500 children have been directly affected by the Ebola outbreak since it was first detected in neighbouring Guinea in December 2013. Half of those children, have lost one or both parents, separate findings by the World Bank state.
 
“Ebola has taken a huge toll on children’s survival and health in Sierra Leone and across the West Africa region,” says Leslie Scott, Director of World Vision Sierra Leone.

“Before the outbreak, Sierra Leone already had the one of the highest maternal mortality ratio and the second highest child mortality rate in the world and the country’s health system was among the weakest in the world, with acute shortages of qualified health care professionals, essential drugs and equipment. This situation has worsened in the past year and the Brussels conference is an opportunity for world leaders to commit further support for this incredibly challenged generation of young people,” he added.

Worryingly, latest statistics by the Ministry of Health of Sierra Leone show that more than 700 children contracted Ebola, with almost 450 succumbing to the virus. 

Elsewhere across the region, authorities are reporting a surge in orphans who are mostly young children under 5. Government officials in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea estimate that 25,900 or more children are in urgent need of comprehensive care.

World Vision is supporting temporary community care centres for orphaned children, who are being placed with extended families. The agency, which has conducted relief and development programmes in Sierra Leone for almost 20 years, is working with authorities to train teachers in psycho-social skills in preparation for re-opening of schools later this month. 

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