Malnutrition affects thousands in Cirebon

Malnutrition affects thousands in Cirebon

CIREBON, West Java: Some 4,000 children in Cirebon regency are
suffering from malnutrition, a senior government official said on
Tuesday.

Poverty has left many parents unable to provide their children
with nutritious food, leading to rampant malnutrition, said
Retina Sri Sedjati, the chief of the Cirebon Health Agency.

In addition to poverty, a lack of knowledge about the
importance of providing nutritious food to children is also to be
blamed for malnutrition in the regency, the health agency head
said.

Of the 2.35 million residents in Cirebon regency, some 25
percent, or 580,000, are officially classified as poor, said
Retina. There are 236,000 children below the age of five in
Cirebon.

The government is encouraging Cirebon residents to take their
children in for medical checkups at hospitals, community health
centers and integrated health service posts in the regency. The
medical checkups are free of charge, said Retina. The government
has earmarked Rp 1.1 billion (US$117,021) for the program. -- JP