国連児童基金（ユニセフ）は9月30日、ギニアやリベリアなどの西アフリカで、エボラ出血熱で親を亡くした数千人規模の子供たちが、感染への恐怖から親族による引き取りを拒否されていると発表した。ギニア、リベリア、シエラレオネの3カ国ではエボラ出血熱による死者が増え続けており、少なくとも3700人の子供が孤児になっているという。
ユニセフの西部・中部アフリカ地域事務所代表、マニュエル・フォンテーン氏は、この地域では、親が亡くなり孤児となった子供は親族に引き取られることが一般的であるとしたうえで、エボラ感染への恐怖心が家族の絆よりも勝り、孤児となった子供が親族から拒否されている現状を伝えた。
「孤児にはケアが必要です。しかし、多くの子供たちは、自分自身が望まれない存在であり、また、見捨てられたと感じています」
フォンティーン氏によると、病気の子供の看病をすること自体が、現地の人々にとっては「死刑宣告」と捉えられるほどの恐怖を与えているのだという。ユニセフはこの状況が続くと、10月中旬には孤児の数が倍増する可能性が高いと推測している。
なお、9月12日にユニセフが発表したリベリアにおけるエボラ出血熱の状況報告によると、エボラ出血熱によって孤児となった子供たちは、地域コミュニティーのなかでエボラ出血熱の感染源として見られており、コミュニティーの汚点とみなされることもある。そのため、多くの子供たちが、大人による適切なケアを受けられずに路上生活を余儀なくされている。これらの孤児の約20％は2歳未満だという。
父と母をエボラで失った少女
リベリアのモンロビアにできたエボラ治療センターの前で September 23, 2014. ZOOM DOSSO/AFP/Getty Images
父と母をエボラで失った少女
リベリアのモンロビアにできたエボラ治療センターの前で September 23, 2014. ZOOM DOSSO/AFP/Getty Images
父の亡骸が運ばれるのを見送る少年
リベリア モンロビア September 10, 2014 ZOOM DOSSO/AFP/Getty Images
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隔離病棟に連れて行かれる前の父子
リベリア モンロビア August 15, 2014 John Moore/Getty Images
母の死の後、医師とともに隔離施設から出てくる少年
リベリア モンロビア July 24, 2014 ZOOM DOSSO/AFP/Getty Images
ローズ（5歳）は兄以外の家族全員を失った。彼女はエボラから回復したと、証明書を見せた。
(c) UNICEF Sierra Leone/2014/Dunlop
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二人の兄弟は両親を失った。しかし、彼らは助かった。
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ローズの両親も死んだ。彼女は自分がエボラからの生存者である証明書を見せる。(14 of14)
(credit:(c) UNICEF Sierra Leone/2014/Dunlop)
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