Malnutrition hits Kewapante parish

KEWAPANTE, East Nusa Tenggara: At least 400 students at Catholic elementary schools and junior high schools owned by the Renha Rosari Foundation at Kewapante Parish suffer from malnutrition.

The parish's head Priest Claus S.V.D. told The Jakarta Post on Saturday that the alarming facts were revealed during a medical check-up for children in Kewapante subdistrict during the last three months.

"Therefore, in order to improve their nutrition, we're giving them milk for their school breaks and food for their lunch," he said.

Meanwhile, head of the health agency in Sikka regent Ignatius Henyo Kerong said that maternal deaths in the area were also relatively high.

In the period 1999-2000, there were over 700 mothers who died while giving birth. Infant mortality was around 58 babies out of a total of 779 babies born.(yac)