Ignorance worsens malnutrition: Farid<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek said on
\nWednesday malnutrition problems found among the country's
\nchildren were not only due to economic deprivation but also
\nbecause of a lack of knowledge on health issues.<\/p>\n
The minister said his conclusion was based on recent tours of
\nvarious regions where he found, among other things, a civil
\nservant who had stopped breast-feeding her three-month-old baby
\nand was instead bottle-feeding the child with sweetened tea.<\/p>\n
"I myself witnessed that it is not only economic problems...
\n(malnutrition) is partially because of mothers' ignorance," Farid
\nsaid after attending a six-hour monthly Cabinet meeting on
\npeople's welfare at the Bina Graha presidential office.<\/p>\n
The International Labor Organization (ILO) has predicted that
\nthe economic crisis could result in 95.8 million people -- or 48
\npercent of the country's total population of 202 million --
\nliving below the poverty level by year's end.<\/p>\n
ILO marks the poverty line in daily calorie intake at 2,200
\ncalories. In daily earnings, those making less than US$1 per
\nperson in a family in urban areas and 80 U.S. cents in rural
\nareas (at a conversion rate of Rp 2,300 to the dollar) are
\nconsidered poor.<\/p>\n
The country's per capita income has shrunk from about $1,100
\nbefore the crisis hit the country in July last year to less than
\n$300. The media has been recently showing pictures of
\nmalnourished Indonesian children -- images which had, until now,
\nhardly ever been aired.<\/p>\n
Antara reported on Wednesday that more than 460,000 people in
\n10 regencies in South Kalimantan were facing severe food
\nshortages, mostly in the capital, Banjarmasin, and in Tapin
\nregency.<\/p>\n
Doyo Pudjadi, an official of the provincial Ministry of Social
\nServices office, told the official news agency that the World
\nFood Program (WFP) was planning how best to address the problem.<\/p>\n
"I have received information from Jakarta that the aid plan is
\nstill being discussed," he said.<\/p>\n
Central Java officials said last month that eight million
\ninfants in the province alone would suffer from food deprivation.<\/p>\n
"This is not an economic matter but also a problem of
\nignorance, education and social cultural dilemmas," the minister
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Farid announced last month that the government would soon
\nlaunch a Rp 1.37 trillion (US$114 million) supplementary food
\nprogram for pregnant women and children under five in 140
\nregencies. "Each family will receive Rp 10,000 per year," he had
\nsaid. (prb)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ignorance-worsens-malnutrition-farid-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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