24 babies died of malnutrition

SEMARANG: 24 babies under the age of five have died of malnutrition in the first eight months of this year, while 441 others have been hospitalized for the same reason, said head of the Health Agency of Purbalingga regency Diyah Retnani Basuki.

She said malnutrition was rampant in the regency, especially in the Rembang, Karangmoncol, Karangtengah and Kutawala districts with mortality rates highest in impoverished villages.

"Malnutrition is due to the people's inability to fulfill their basic nutritional needs. These babies can be discharged from hospital but their problems will resume once they return to their poor homes," she said.

The regency administration has distributed aid, allocated in the state and city budget, and also from private companies, to alleviate malnutrition. The aid was channeled directly to the babies, along with the initial working capital for poor parents to start their own businesses to improve their welfare. (har/lup)