JP\/5\/FOOD<\/p>\n
More people in West Nusa Tenggara die of malnutrition<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni
\nThe Jakarta Post\/Mataram<\/p>\n
An infant has died of malnutrition in West Nusa Tenggara
\nprovince, bringing to eight the number of people who have died
\nof the affliction since January, a senior health official said on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
Two of the victims were from Mataram city, five from West
\nLombok regency and one from Central Lombok regency, according to
\nthe spokesman for Mataram General Hospital, Rudi Syarif Iskandar.<\/p>\n
The latest casualty was identified as Nurahmah, a 10-month-old
\ngirl from Janapria, Central Lombok regency. She died on Tuesday
\nafternoon after being treated for a week at Mataram General
\nHospital, the main hospital in West Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of people in West Nusa Tenggara have been identified
\nwith malnutrition since January. According to government data,
\n338 people in four regencies and municipalities have been
\ndiagnosed with the affliction.<\/p>\n
Malnutrition is not unknown to the province, which is
\nironically known as a major rice producer in the country.<\/p>\n
In the same period last year, 822 malnutrition cases were
\nreported in the province, though there were no deaths.<\/p>\n
Another senior government official said the incidence of
\nmalnutrition in the province was much higher than the national
\nrate.<\/p>\n
\"The number of infants annually affected by malnutrition in
\nthe province is 10 percent of the total infant population in the
\nprovince, while the national rate is 8 percent,\" said the deputy
\nchief of the West Nusa Tenggara Health Office, I Komang Gerudug.<\/p>\n
He said this was caused by several factors, including poverty
\nand a lack of knowledge about nutrition.<\/p>\n
West Nusa Tenggara provincial government spokesman Lalu Gita
\nAryadi said the residents lack of knowledge about nutrition was
\nto blame for the high rate of malnutrition in the province. The
\nspokesman also placed part of the blame on the People's Welfare
\nMovement (PKK) for failing effectively to combat malnutrition
\nthrough its subdistrict service posts.<\/p>\n
He said the PKK should be more proactive in providing
\nnutritious food to infants to help prevent malnutrition.<\/p>\n
The West Lombok regency administration announced on Friday it
\nwould provide free milk to designated infants in the regency. The
\nCentral Lombok regency has also set aside funds to provide free
\nmedical care for those suffering from malnutrition.<\/p>\n
Under this program, anyone affected with malnutrition would
\nreceive Rp 3,000 (31 US cents) a day for 90 days, starting on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
The high number of malnutrition cases in the province came to
\nlight on Wednesday during a meeting attended by high-ranking
\ngovernment officials in the province. A government official
\nreported that dozens of people had been diagnosed with
\nmalnutrition since January and that seven people had died.<\/p>\n
The cases have made headlines around the country, attracting
\nthe attention of the central government. Alwi Shihab, the
\ncoordinating minister for people's welfare, said the central
\ngovernment had dispatched a team to the province to deal with the
\nproblem.<\/p>",
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