NTT plagued with malnutrition<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The malnutrition problem in West and East Nusa Tenggara that has
\nbeen widely reported in the media recently is comparable to
\nPandora's Box. When the story was reported, it was quickly
\nfollowed by similar revelations in other areas nationwide.<\/p>\n
As the stories made national headlines, the government and the
\npublic were surprised that there was still malnutrition in the
\ncountry in spite of its rich natural resources.<\/p>\n
A scholar in East Nusa Tenggara said that malnutrition had
\nbeen a perennial problem in the province. \"Malnutrition is
\nactually not new to East Nusa Tenggara. It has been problem here
\nfor years, but it was just revealed,\" said sociologist
\nSyarifuddin R. Gomang from Cendana University, Kupang, the
\ncapital of East Nusa Tenggara.<\/p>\n
Malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara has killed 35 infants up
\nuntil July 12. Frequent food scarcity has been blamed for the
\nwidespread malnutrition in the province. Syarifuddin said this
\nwas due to the arid land and the simple agricultural system. On
\ntop of that, the food shortage was also caused by locust attacks
\nand the prolonged dry season.<\/p>\n
Syarifuddin recalled that when he was child in the 1970s, he
\noften ate the seeds of the tamarind tree, which was mixed with a
\nstaple food such as corn. The tamarind seed was soaked in water
\nso that it became soft and it was cooked. \"It was common for East
\nNusa Tenggara residents to eat the tamarind seed or the papaya
\ntrunk in times of scarcity before the harvest,\" he said, as
\nquoted by Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
The climate and arid land is not the only factor that
\ncontributed into the rampant malnutrition in the province.<\/p>\n
According to Syarifuddin, the malnutrition also stems from the
\npoor upbringing of children. Infants or small children in East
\nNusa Tenggara are often taken care of by their older brothers and
\nsisters when their parents go to work on the farm. The brothers
\nand sisters lack understanding of how to provide nutritious food
\nfor their little sisters and brothers.<\/p>\n
\"Worse, when the parents return home, they rarely ask whether
\nthe children have already had breakfast or lunch,\" said Mario
\nVieira from NTT Child Protection Institute, a non-governmental
\norganization (NGO) in Kupang.<\/p>\n
The lack of parental awareness could be found in a refugee
\ncamp for former East Timorese refugee in Noelbaki, Kupang.<\/p>\n
\"A female child, nine months old whose family lived in the
\nrefugee camp, should have been treated for at least 60 days at a
\nlocal hospital, but the mother insisted on bringing her home
\nafter she was treated for two days only at the hospital,\" said
\nMario, as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
According to Syarifuddin, in order to address the malnutrition
\nand famine problem, people in East Nusa Tenggara province have to
\nstart change their dependency on certain agricultural products.
\nThey have to begin diversifying food, by consuming food taken
\nfrom the sea.<\/p>\n
The government has started to encourage people to diversify
\nfood through Entering the Sea Movement, which began in 2002.
\n\"But, it takes time,\" said East Nusa Tenggara deputy governor
\nFrans Lebu Raya.<\/p>\n
The government has trained and assisted residents to grow
\nseaweed, said Frans.<\/p>\n
Frans believes that through such a program, the famine and
\nmalnutrition that had plagued East Nusa Tenggara for years could
\nbe slowly eradicated. \"If the famine problem is not addressed
\nproperly, we will lose a generation of children,\" said Frans.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ntt-plagued-with-malnutrition-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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