NZ appeal for urgent Ebola help

Liberian community clinic worker Julius Prout, 32, who fell ill with Ebola after treating more than a dozen patients, but managed to survive. Photo / AP

Unicef New Zealand has launched an emergency appeal for urgently needed financial support in the fight against the rapid spread of the Ebola virus.

The spread of the virus in West Africa and now further afield was unprecedented in both its severity and rapidly multiplying scale, Unicef New Zealand executive director Vivien Maidaborn said.

"Unicef estimates that at least 3700 children have been orphaned to date and this is predicted to double by the middle of October."

More worrying still is that it shows no signs of stopping.

"Children infected were faced with desperately stretched healthcare systems and isolation due to the contagious nature of the virus, she said."

Because of fear and misconceptions surrounding Ebola, those lucky enough to survive the virus still face the threat of isolation and stigmatisation from their families and communities.

"We are hearing heart-breaking stories from our colleagues in the field of children that have lost one or both parents and are now ostracised by other family members or their community, for fear they could potentially pass on the virus."

The rate of the spread of the virus was astounding and Unicef urgently needed increased funding in order to get more supplies and staff to the epicentre of the crisis in West Africa, Ms Maidaborn said.

"There are more emergencies unfolding worldwide than ever before and millions of children in South Sudan, the Syrian region and Iraq to name but a few, are experiencing a tragic reality that no child should have to face," Ms Maidaborn said.

Unicef's chief of crisis communications spokeswoman Sarah Crowe said the organisation was dispatching life-saving supplies and educating families and communities on how to protect themselves, as well as preparing countries at risk in order to prevent further spreading of the virus.

After spending five weeks in Liberia she had seen the effect the crisis was having on children.

"What we have seen so far is merely the tip of the iceberg."If we don't act now to stem the spread of this deadly virus, the consequences really are unthinkable."

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