According to UNICEF, an orphan is defined as a child less than 18 years of age who has lost one or both parents to any cause of death. By this definition, there were nearly 140 million orphans globally in 2015, including 61 million in Asia, 52 million in Africa, 10 million in Latin America and the Caribbean, and 7.3 million in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. This large figure represents not only children who have lost both parents, but also those who have lost a father but have a surviving mother or have lost their mother but have a surviving father.1 However in industrialized countries, an orphan is categorized as a child who has lost both parents. A broader terminology was adopted by various international organizations in the 1990s due to the increased mortality from HIV/AIDS worldwide leaving an increasing number of children growing up without parents. Our focus must be on not just providing care for individual children but also supporting the families and communities that care for orphans and are in need of support. Most recently, in West Africa, Ebola caused disproportionate mortality among working-age adults, who are also the most likely to have young children. Across Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, individuals aged between 15 and 44 years made up 2·85 times as many of the Ebola patients as individuals under 15 years of age. In addition, parent mortality had the potential to multiply the effects of Ebola by leading to poorer health and education outcomes in future generations.2 A 2014 study examined orphans at risk in sub-Saharan Africa particularly looking at educational and health outcomes. The study found that orphans do not only fare worse than non-orphans because they tend to live in poorer households and are also at a disadvantage compared to non-orphans within the same household. In addition, they lag behind in education and are more often malnourished and stunted. These educational gaps are more evident when the mother is deceased or absent. Therefore, it is important to acknowledge the importance of outreach and healthcare in improving the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in communities devastated by disease through programs that work to educate, feed, nurture and empower these communities.
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