Aceh's children face malnutrition

Aceh's children face malnutrition

SWITZERLAND: One in eight small children examined in and around the tsunami-ravaged Indonesian provincial capital of Banda Aceh is suffering from acute malnutrition, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said on Friday.

Diarrhea, fever and coughing were also widespread among the 614 children under age five and 300 women examined in a survey last month, the agency said in a statement.

An earthquake and killer waves which swept Indian Ocean coastal areas on Dec. 26 killed more than 231,000 people in Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra.

By mid-January, governments across the world had pledged an unprecedented US$5.5 billion in aid to tsunami-hit countries, and individuals and corporations promised at least $2 billion more.

The World Health Organization (WHO), another U.N. agency, has said there is a risk of outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera in Aceh, where the tsunami destroyed hospitals and homes, forcing tens of thousands of people to live in temporary camps.

Unicef said acute malnutrition was prevalent in 12.7 percent of the children, while 42.6 percent had suffered from diarrhea, 69.7 percent from coughs and 55.9 percent from fever.

The agency is helping Indonesian health officials immunize 1.3 million children in Aceh against measles, and has also provided vitamin supplements. -- Reuters