Malnutrition among children hits alarming level

Malnutrition among children hits alarming level

A'an Suryana, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Shocking government statistics show that more than 25 percent
of Indonesia's 18 million under five-year-old children are
suffering from malnutrition.

And experts are warning the "alarming" figure is worsening due
to the government's lack of will to deal with the problem.

Ministry of Health data shows that 4.5 million toddlers
suffered from malnutrition in 2000, with the picture now even
more bleak.

Community Nutrition Director Rachmi Untoro blamed the economic
crisis, which has plagued the country since 1997, as the main
factor, as increasing poverty meant children starved.

"The number has reached an alarming level ... 25 percent of
children are malnourished in Indonesia," Rachmi said, adding the
figure should be no more than 5 percent.

Speaking at a seminar on child growth and poverty, Rachmi said
the government was considering reviving abandoned integrated
health service posts (Posyandu) throughout the country to help
poor families feed their toddlers.

Rachmi said that after the crisis, around half the 240,000
Posyandu in the country closed as the volunteer staff were forced
to ensure their own survival.

Many poor families in both rural and urban areas relied much
on government assistance through the Posyandu to monitor the
health of their children.

Rachmi said the government could provide regular allowances to
people managing Posyandu so the posts could continue to serve
poor families.

Assistance from international organizations was also needed,
Rachmi said.

Cospeaker Steve Allen, the United Nations Children's Fund
(Unicef) representative in Indonesia, said it was ready to help
the government address the malnutrition problem.

Unicef provided US$1 million per year to Indonesia to nurture
children's development, including combating malnutrition, he
said.

"Malnutrition is a leading cause of poor human resources
development and consequently greatly contributes to persistent
poverty," he said.