Cases of malnutrition also reported from Alor regency<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni and Rendi Witular, The Jakarta Post, Bandung\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
More malnutrition cases were reported on Thursday as the central
\ngovernment dispatched a team of health workers to West Nusa
\nTenggara to study the cases that were first revealed in the
\nprovince a day earlier.<\/p>\n
A local government official stated on Thursday that, actually,
\nthe malnutrition cases were not only found in West Nusa Tenggara
\nprovince, but also in the neighboring province of East Nusa
\nTenggara. Out of 400 malnourished children in five subdistricts
\nin Alor regency, East Nusa Tenggara, between 10 and 15 percent of
\nthem were suffering from chronic malnutrition, said chief of the
\nAlor health office Paul Menuenpil.<\/p>\n
The Alor health office is currently preparing a package of
\nnutritional foods to make available for the children. The Alor
\nadministration has earmarked Rp 20 million (US$2,127) for the
\nfood. \"The amount of money is small, but we will do our best,\"
\nsaid Menuenpil, according to Antara the state news agency.<\/p>\n
Similar to Alor, the West Nusa Tenggara provincial
\nadministration was also battling malnutrition cases on Thursday.
\nAdnin Serinata, the wife of West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu
\nSerinata, visited a Mataram hospital earlier in the day and
\nceremonially handed over Rp 10 million in cash to the affected
\nchildren's parents.<\/p>\n
Muhammad, 3, of West Lombok was one recipient. When Adnin
\nvisited him, Muhammad, who is in very grave condition, was being
\ncarried by his mother Yuliati, 30, who was trying to force feed
\nhim. However, Muhammad, who is very thin, but has a grossly
\ndistended abdomen, could not keep the food down. Muhammad has
\nbeen in Mataram Hospital for two weeks, but his condition had not
\nimproved.<\/p>\n
Besides visiting Mataram Hospital, Adnin also went to several
\nsubdistricts in Mataram where malnutrition cases had been
\nreported. In the respective subdistricts, Adnin urged Family
\nWelfare Agency officers to improve their performance and to do
\nmore to prevent malnutrition in the community.<\/p>\n
The malnutrition cases in West Nusa Tenggara, which made
\nheadlines nationwide, came to light on Wednesday during a meeting
\namong high ranking provincial officials.<\/p>\n
It was reported in the meeting that dozens on Lombok island
\nwere known to be suffering from malnutrition, and at least seven
\nof them had died in the past few months. The tragic irony is that
\nthe province produces rice surpluses every year and sells extra
\nrice outside the area.<\/p>\n
However, pediatrician Hananto Wiryo explained that it was
\nplausible for the fertile province to have malnourished people.
\nThe problem persists because poverty has not been properly
\naddressed. Most of the people suffer from malnutrition come from
\npoor families, in which they earn between Rp 5,000 and Rp 10,000
\na day, Hananto deduced. \"In order to address the malnutrition,
\nthe government should establish command posts in every village
\nconsidered to be pockets of poverty,\" explained Hananto.<\/p>\n
The statement was echoed by Vice President Jusuf Kalla. Kalla
\nearlier urged the West Nusa Tenggara government to seriously deal
\nwith poverty in order to prevent malnutrition.<\/p>\n
Separately, Coordinating Minister of Social Affairs Alwi
\nShihab said that the government had deployed a team of health
\nworkers to address the malnutrition cases.<\/p>",
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