Posyandu running out of infant food supplements<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Volunteers at several state-sponsored Posyandu,
\nthe integrated health service posts for infants and pregnant
\nwomen, here strongly urged the government on Friday to soon
\nallocate money for their activities due to the serious shortage
\nof baby food at the centers.<\/p>\n
The staff of the posts in Johar Baru in Central Jakarta and
\nUtan Kayu Selatan in East Jakarta told Minister of Health Farid
\nAnfasa Moeloek that the Rp 22,500 monthly state fund earmarked to
\nprovide free food supplement for babies of poor families in the
\narea would be only enough to feed two infants at the most given
\nthe high prices nowadays.<\/p>\n
"Our quota is Rp 750 for each baby per day. But today eggs are
\nalready Rp 750 each. Then who'll pay for the stove gas, Bapak
\nMenteri?" Mrs. Suranto, a helper at Johar Baru, complained to
\nMoeloek, who was making impromptu visits to the posts.<\/p>\n
The female workers told the minister that the shortage of
\nmoney had forced them to drastically cut down the number of
\npatients, from infants to under-five-year-olds, for the free food
\nsupplement services.<\/p>\n
According to Mrs. Suranto, out of an average of seven infants
\nbrought by their parents to the post for the free meal service,
\nsix of them were turned away, she said.<\/p>\n
The volunteers therefore asked the minister to disburse the
\ngovernment aid package which has been earmarked for Posyandu
\nactivities as soon as possible in order to allow them to purchase
\nadequate stocks of baby and infant rations.<\/p>\n
Endang Purwaningsih Syamsul Bachri, another volunteer at a
\nnearby Posyandu in the same subdistrict, told the minister that
\nher post could provide free nutrition to two infants thanks to a
\nfund donated by a private firm.<\/p>\n
At the Posyandu in Utan Kayu Selatan, the minister was also
\ntold the same thing.<\/p>\n
"Can someone imagine how can any baby or infant survives on a
\nRp 750 budget a day?" asked a local helper.<\/p>\n
Volunteer Endang said that there were at least 17 severely
\nmalnourished babies of poor families in her subdistrict that
\nbadly need adequate food supplements.<\/p>\n
"Help us, sir. The babies need the food," she told the
\nminister and his entourage.<\/p>\n
In response, Moeloek told the ladies not to worry. He pledged
\nthat the Posyandu aid fund, which had gone through some
\n"bureaucratic problems", would be disbursed within a week.<\/p>\n
According to Moeloek's staffer, Dini Latief of the ministry's
\nnutrition directorate, the aid allocated for all such posts in
\nthe capital for the three-month period beginning January totaled
\nRp 3.1 billion.<\/p>\n
"Each post in the capital should receive roughly Rp 1 million
\nnext week," Dini said.<\/p>\n
Dini mentioned that the aid money to be earmarked for the
\ncorresponding period to all Posyandu nationwide would reach Rp
\n261 billion.<\/p>\n
"Each of the 240,000 posts would receive roughly about Rp 1
\nmillion," she said. (ylt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/posyandu-running-out-of-infant-food-supplements-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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