News outlets report on UNICEF’s announcement that at least 3,700 children in West Africa who have lost parents from Ebola risk stigmatization.

Agence France-Presse: Children of Ebola dead shunned by families: UNICEF
“Thousands of children who have lost parents to the West African Ebola epidemic are being shunned by frightened and suspicious relatives, the U.N. children’s fund said on Tuesday…” (9/30).

BBC News: Ebola outbreak: ‘Thousands of orphans shunned’
“At least 3,700 children in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone who have lost one or both parents to Ebola this year face being shunned, the U.N. children’s organization has said…” (9/30).

The Guardian: Ebola orphans in West Africa shunned by relatives
“…UNICEF … is training health and social workers to support children in affected countries. In Sierra Leone, more than 2,500 Ebola survivors — who are now [believed to be] immune to the disease — will be trained to provide care and support to quarantined children in treatment centers…” (Boseley, 9/30).

Reuters: Thousands of children orphaned, rejected as Ebola wrecks families
“…UNICEF, meanwhile, says it has only received 25 percent of the $200 million it needs to help children and families affected by the crisis…” (Lewis/Nebehay, 9/30).

U.N. News Centre: In West Africa, U.N. launches strengthened response as Ebola shatters lives, orphans children
“…[A]longside the devastating physiological effects of the virus, the outbreak has also ignited panic and fear across the affected areas with some victims, and their children, being spurned by their local communities…” (9/30).

UNICEF: Thousands of children orphaned by Ebola: UNICEF
“…As the death toll from Ebola continues to rise, preliminary reports from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone suggest that the number of children orphaned by Ebola has spiked in the past few weeks and is likely to double by mid-October…” (9/30).

VOA News: Thousands of Ebola Orphans Shunned by Communities
“…[UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa Manuel Fontaine] told VOA the Ministry of Social Welfare in Sierra Leone and UNICEF are organizing a conference of survivors in that country in mid-October to see what role they could play in caring for these abandoned children…” (Schlein, 9/30).

The KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report summarized news and information on global health policy from hundreds of sources, from May 2009 through December 2020. All summaries are archived and available via search.

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