Thousands of children are ill

PEKANBARU, Riau: Approximately 16,000 primary school students here are worm-infested and anemic, a health official said yesterday.

Antara quoted Rita Kemalawaty at the local office of the Ministry of Health as saying that the figure was derived from a survey conducted of 74,000 children in slum areas.

"The children are often sleepy. They lose interest in their studies because of poor health," she said.

She blamed a lack of parental supervision in children's diets and the environment they play in. "They play in swamp areas where germs and viruses abound, attacking the children," she said.

The health office will soon launch a deworming drive and give the children meal supplements. (swe)