NEW YORK (September 3, 2015) – UNICEF today welcomed the announcement that Liberia has once again achieved zero Ebola transmission, and expressed hope that the country will now be able to focus on recovering from the outbreak, which has taken a severe toll on the lives of thousands of children and their communities.

“The past 17 months have been a terrifying period for children and their families,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF’s Representative in Liberia.  “Even before this outbreak, Liberian children had limited access to quality health, education and social services. Too many children were not in school, and without quality health, sanitation or social services. We now have an even steeper hill to climb.”

More than 4,500 children lost one or both parents or primary caregivers to Ebola in Liberia, according to Government data. The total figure is over 19,300 in the three worst affected countries, which also include Guinea and Sierra Leone. Many more were affected in some way or another, being quarantined, watching loved ones die, losing out months of schooling or being unable to access health services, which were overwhelmed during the outbreak.

“Our focus now is on improving access to education, health and other services at the community level, and to ensure Liberia is better equipped to face future health threats, be it measles, pertussis or Ebola,” said Yett.

UNICEF is supporting efforts to strengthen health systems in Liberia, with a strong focus on improving access to community health facilities, routine immunization, increasing nutrition, as well as ensuring better water, sanitation and hygiene systems in health facilities and schools. UNICEF is also providing learning and teaching materials to help ease the burden on parents sending their children to school, reconstructing schools, and supporting the expansion of social services and efforts to reduce maternal and child mortality.

Liberia was first declared free of Ebola transmission on May 9 – having gone 42 days without any case – but new cases emerged again the following month.

A rapid response to this most recent outbreak by the Government of Liberia and numerous partners, including UNICEF and communities, resulted in the spread of Ebola being quickly contained, patients treated, and the dead being buried according to strict safety protocols. The last patient with Ebola was released from hospital on July 23.

Photos and video can be downloaded from: http://uni.cf/1xZAb39

About UNICEFThe United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in more than 190 countries and territories to put children first. UNICEF has helped save more children’s lives than any other humanitarian organization, by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education, emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy and education in the United States. Together, we are working toward the day when no children die from preventable causes and every child has a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org.

For more information, contact: Sophie Aziakou, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, 917.720.1397, saziakou@unicefusa.org