44,000 babies malnourished in C. Java

SEMARANG: As many as 44,633 babies in Central Java province are suffering from malnutrition this year, local health office head Khrisnajaya has said.

Of that number, at least 4,378 babies were very poorly nourished, he added.

He said the malnourished were among around 290,065 babies in the province, of which only 239,848 were receiving barely adequate nutrition and 5,606 others were better nourished.

"Most, or at least 885, of the malnourished babies are in Blora regency. Other malnutrition cases are recorded in 35 cities and towns across Central Java," Khrisnajaya told journalists in the Central Java capital of Semarang over the weekend.

The 35 regions included Grobogan regency (257 malnutrition cases), Rembang regency (235), Semarang regency (223) and Tegal regency (205), he added.

Khrisnajaya said the cases were recorded between January and August this year.

He added the Central Java health office had set up a Food and Nutrition Alertness Team to handle the malnutrition cases in coordination with health officials in the regencies.

"At least 10 regencies have now become the target of efforts to improve the nutrition of children. They are Surakarta, Demak, Grobogan, Salatiga, Kudus, Kendal, Wonosobo, Brebes, Tegal and Pemalang," Chrisnajaya added. --JP