Underfed infants in Gunungkidul

GUNUNGKIDUL, Yogyakarta: Five hundred seventeen children under five have been diagnosed as undernourished, Antara reported Tuesday. Twenty-one were considered in advanced stages of malnourishment.

"This has happened because of the crisis made worse by the effect of last year's drought, which has reduced the production and stocks of food here," regent Harsadiningrat said when opening a training course on nutrition monitoring.

The regency's head of the office of the health ministry, Wahyudi, said children most severely affected were found in the districts of Pangggang, Semin, Karangmojo, Ngawen, Rongkop and Wonosari.

The severely malnourished children have been hospitalized in Yogyakarta and Wonosari, he said.

Wahyudi said some of the children suffered from congenital heart disorders. (anr)