Over 400 babies malnourished

SURABAYA, East Java: As many as 400 children under five in this province have been found suffering from malnutrition and 173 others from marasmus, East Java deputy governor Imam Soepardi said here on Monday.

Sixty-two of the children live in Sidoarjo district, 19 others in Surabaya, 18 in Ponorogo, 17 in Blitar and the rest are scattered through 33 subdistricts in the province, Soepardi said.

He did not reveal the number of deaths of severely malnourished babies in the area.

The effects of malnutrition across the country triggered mainly by the prolonged economic crisis have already killed a number of infants in other areas.

In March, one infant died of marasmus in Tangerang while seven others were treated at the local general hospital for severe malnutrition.

Between August and January, at least four babies aged between four months and three years in the Mulyaharja village of Bogor died of marasmus.

Some other local babies were under medical supervision in community health centers.

Soepardi said the East Java administration office has called all district heads and mayors to immediately help solve the problem in the best possible manner.

"District heads and mayors in the province need not feel embarrassed to report the facts because the problem should be overcome as soon as possible," he said.

According to Soepardi, the local administration has provided "Modisko", a supplementary nutriment made of milk powder, full cream and palm sugar. The nutriment has been distributed free to 173 children for three months. (bsr)