More infants severely malnourished
SEMARANG (JP): At least 190 infants in Purbalingga regency, Central Java are suffering the effects of severe malnutrition, a legislator said on Friday.
The chairman of Commission E for Welfare at the Central Java legislature, Soebowo, said increasing numbers of infants in the province were undernourished. They were located in the regencies of Wonogiri, Grobogan, the southern part of Central Java and regencies in the north coast area including Brebes, Pekalongan, Tegal, Pemalang, Demak, Pati, Rembang and Blora.
"I believe the number of malnourished babies in the province is in its thousands," Soebowo said.
"Why haven't the officials, especially those at the health office, done something to help those children? They're suffering; some that died were just skin and bone."
No further details concerning the deaths were released, but Soebowo urged all agencies involved to directly inspect their areas and pay serious attention to the problem.
"It would be better if the social safety net funds, the government funds for poorly developed villages and other forms of donation were reallocated to help these babies."
"Do not cover up the real facts (concerning the situation of) malnourished children and please move quickly to handle the issue. This should not have happened in our country."
In Bengkulu, the capital city of Bengkulu, South Sumatra Antara recently reported that five female infants were so severely malnourished their weight was only 40 percent of normal weight. One of the babies died recently, according to Dr. Ghuffron from M. Yunus Hospital.
In Tangerang, East Java, at least one infant has died of marasmus kwashiorkor -- a condition of chronic undernourishment usually caused by a diet deficient in calories and proteins. Seven others are suffering the effects of malnutrition and were receiving treatment at the Tangerang General Hospital as of Tuesday.
One of the seven is the brother of the dead infant.
The Kompas daily reported recently that there were at least 50 infants in Tangerang suffering from marasmus.
The daily also reported Thursday that at least 27,300 babies under the age of two years in Cirebon regency, East Java, were suffering from malnutrition.
Out of the total number, eight babies were declared to have the condition marasmus as they have lost 40 percent of their normal body weight.
Six of the babies were being treated in their own houses while two others were in a critical condition and were being treated at the Arjawinangun Hospital in Cirebon.
Cirebon's health office has distributed extra food for the babies and pregnant women in the area. Each baby was to receive an allowance of Rp 750 per day.
"That is the budget set for this program... and it surely doesn't meet their daily needs as the price of food is escalating," the agency's chief, Prihadi, said. (har/edt)