Help sought in curbing malnutrition<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President B.J. Habibie expressed on Tuesday deep
\nconcern over how the economic crisis had caused malnutrition
\nlevels to soar, particularly among infants and children under
\nfive, and appealed to the financially better-off to help the
\npoor.<\/p>\n
\"In the last few months, cases of edema from malnutrition have
\nbeen found among babies and children in various places across the
\ncountry,\" he said when addressing a ceremony marking the
\ncommemoration of National Health Day.<\/p>\n
Accompanied by First Lady Hasri Ainun Habibie, Coordinating
\nMinister for People's Welfare and Poverty Eradication Haryono
\nSuyono, Minister of Communications Giri Suseno Hadihardjono and
\nState Minister of Women's Roles Tutty Alawiyah, the President
\nsaid the problem must be tackled immediately to ensure that
\nbabies and children grow up healthy and intelligent.<\/p>\n
Speaking through a video link to those attending the ceremony
\nin Sidoardjo, East Java, Habibie said the government had launched
\na Rp 1.4 trillion (US$184 million) social safety net project in
\nthe health sector, intended mainly to help poor families,
\npregnant women and children under two years old.<\/p>\n
\"Let us forge social solidarity and humanity in helping
\nmembers of society in the low-income bracket,\" he said, calling
\non well-off families those less fortunate.<\/p>\n
Experts have for the past few months raised increasing alarm
\nover the escalating food crisis and the possibility of poor
\nnutrition leading to the birth of a generation with permanent
\npoor health and low intelligence. The signs of this emerging
\n\"lost generation\" were evident in reports about the existence of
\nseverely malnourished children -- many with distended bellies --
\nin various cities.<\/p>\n
Experts have also estimated that the actual number of children
\nsuffering from nutritional deficiencies, technically known as
\nmarasmic-kwashiorkor, could be 10 times higher than reported.
\nMoreover, the number of malnourished children in Java is tenfold
\nthat of other islands. Last year, Central Java was recorded as
\nhaving 4.16 million poor people, or 13.91 percent of its
\npopulation, the highest proportion in the nation.<\/p>\n
Central Java Governor Mardiyanto said in Cilacap on Tuesday
\nthat 27.6 poor people in the province were facing food shortages,
\nacknowledging its new status as the poorest province in the
\ncountry.<\/p>\n
\"Around 33 percent of the 80 million poor people in Indonesia
\nlive in the province,\" he said. \"This is a national problem, we
\ncan't handle it alone.\"<\/p>\n
Experts have also warned that acute nutritional deficiencies
\nnot recorded for 20 years were making a comeback, presenting the
\nlikelihood of a dearth of high-quality human resources in the
\nfirst decade of the new millennium.<\/p>\n
Soekirman of the National Institute of Sciences first
\nhighlighted in October the discovery of new cases of marasmic-
\nkwashiorkor, which was last found here in the late 1970s.<\/p>\n
Marasmic-kwashiorkor, caused by a high carbohydrate, low
\nprotein diet, damages the body's internal organs. Among the
\nsymptoms are the body becoming thin and dehydrated, while
\nkwashiorkor is identified by swollen body parts such as the feet,
\nstomach and face.<\/p>\n
Another study has found significant recurrences of certain
\ntypes of malnutrition in Central Java, including the reemergence
\nof vitamin A deficiency which had been eradicated in 1993.<\/p>\n
The malnutrition level among infants under three was around 8
\npercent in 1996, but in 1998, it has increased to 15 percent.<\/p>\n
The government has launched various measures to deal with the
\nsituation. For instance, Antara reported from Ambon, the capital
\nof Maluku, that the Ministry of Social Services has sent 140
\nmetric tons of rice in aid for about 270 families in five
\nisolated areas and 1,450 residents of orphanages in the province.<\/p>\n
The aid will start in December and last for nine months. Each
\nperson in the project will receive 200 grams of rice.<\/p>\n
The news agency reported from Mataram, the capital of West
\nNusa Tenggara, that starting in early December, a total of
\n789,000 poor families in the province will be given free medical
\nexaminations and treatment.<\/p>\n
The head of the local health office, Aswandono, said
\nregistrations were under way and it was possible that the number
\nof people who will be served would increase. Those seeking the
\nservice will be required to bring certificates from local
\nauthorities testifying to their financial situation.<\/p>\n
Aswandono was concerned the economic crisis would cause the
\noverall health of the province to decline even further. The
\ncurrent infant mortality rate in the province is 68.5 per 1,000
\nlive births while the maternal mortality rate was 370 per 100,000
\nlive births.<\/p>\n
Less than 10 years ago, the infant mortality rate was 180 per
\n1,000 live birth while the maternal mortality rate was 400 per
\n100,000 live births.<\/p>\n
\"The current figure is still higher than in other provinces,\"
\nhe said. (swe\/prb\/45)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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