Ebola drains already weak West African health systems
EMMZZY SUCCESS:NEWS
Abba Abashi, Liberian-Nigerian student: "My mum caught me crying"
The deadly Ebola virus ravaging Sierra Leone and Liberia has pushed already weak healthcare systems into intensive care.
While global efforts have been focused on Ebola, many people have failed to receive treatment for other diseases such as malaria and measles, and this has led to even more deaths, experts say.
"It's a vicious cycle," Sierra Leonean risk analyst Omaru Sisay told the BBC.
"Because of Ebola, cases of people not being treated for malaria, cholera and measles have increased significantly," he says.
Painting a similar picture about Liberia, the UN children's agency Unicef says Ebola has severely disrupted health services for children, caused schools to close and left thousands of children without a parent.
"Children are dying from measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases and pregnant women have fewer places to deliver their babies safely," it said in a statement.
Sierra Leone's health services were neglected because of conflict
Liberia has been badly affected by the outbreak - here a mother and daughter lie down near a treatment centre
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