Malnutrition can't be taken lightly

Malnutrition can't be taken lightly

As many as 317 infants under three years of age are reported
to be malnourished in Bogor. Their condition is highly worrying.

What is our first reaction to such a situation? Bogor is so
close to Jakarta. It takes only a half-hour drive to reach there.
The areas with cases of malnutrition are not located in the
suburbs but in downtown Bogor.

If the condition of a city, which is located so near to
Jakarta, is like that, how about other regions which are far from
the center of attention? Kompas daily recently brought up the
issue of malnutrition in Bengkulu.

We believe that what has happened in Bogor is the tip of the
iceberg. The potential level of malnutrition in this Republic is
huge, only the facts are not revealed.

After the onset of the monetary crisis, the poverty level has
soared drastically in this country, and likewise the level of
malnutrition.

Such an illustration provokes a feeling of outrage at the
incidents of corruption occurring in the country. One of
corruption cases currently in the public eye is the State
Logistics Agency (Bulog) scam of Rp 40 billion in non-budgetary
funds.

As the country is now lacking the necessary funds for health
care, it indeed is difficult for the government to curb
malnutrition. Yet, there are no other options. If we let these
infants suffer malnutrition, we will have to bear the brunt of
that in the future.

-- Kompas, Jakarta