Malnutrition death toll rises in East Nusa Tenggara

Yemris Fointuna , The Jakarta Post , Kupang | Tue, 06/17/2008 10:04 AM | Headlines

The death toll from malnutrition in East Nusa Tenggara has increased to 23 following the death of a child in Sumba regency on June 14.

East Nusa Tenggara health office head Stefanus Bria Seran said in Kupang on Monday that his office was making efforts to limit the number of deaths but was hampered by money constraints.

The 23 children, all below the age of five, died of malnutrition from January to June. Most came from Central Sumba (with nine deaths), Kupang city (seven), Rote Ndao (four), South Central Timor (two) and Kupang regency (one).

Data from the provincial health office shows at least 512,000 malnourished toddlers have undergone medical treatment at nutrition rehabilitation centers in East Nusa Tenggara, the country's least developed province.

Out of the figure, 112 are receiving treatment for malnutrition-related complications at hospitals in a number of regencies.

Stefanus said an undernourished child ideally should get supplement intake for a period of three months to prevent malnutrition, while malnourished children should get supplements for six months to prevent them from being affected by marasmus (malnutrition with clinical disorders), which would require supplement intake for nine months.

"They are deprived of these supplements due to the lack of funds from the government, the provincial administration and regencies and cities," said Stefanus.

He said the key factor for the growing rate of malnutrition in the province was poverty and economic hardship, as evident in the eating patterns and nutrient intakes of children and expectant and breast-feeding mothers.

"It is most likely due to food shortage and less nutritious food, because if an expecting or breast-feeding mother consumes low-nutrition food once a day, it could have direct impacts on the physical development of children," he added.

The provincial administration, he said, had repeatedly requested aid from the central government, but proposals had gone unnoticed.

"We need at least Rp 57 billion (approximately US$6.3 million) to address the problem. The available sum is only Rp 1.5 billion from the provincial budget, while the regencies and cities have set aside Rp 5.6 billion. We hoped the central government would provide the balance, but it has not responded to the call," Stefanus said.

Director of the People's Initiative Development group in East Nusa Tenggara Sarah Lery Mbuik said the government was less serious about malnutrition due to its budget policy that was more project oriented, ignoring people's basic human rights.

"There's always money to build grand buildings or buy luxury cars, but there's always excuses when dealing with health issues, especially for the 512,000 children," said Lery.

According to the provincial health office's health management division head Maksi Taopan, the central government stopped providing nutrition supplements to children earlier this year.

"Activities at the community health centers are running as usual, but children are only weighed in and no longer provided with supplements," he said.

Data gathered at the health office showed the death toll from malnutrition began to surge sharply beginning in 2005, when 66 deaths were recorded.

In 2006, the death rate increased to 77. In 2007, the administration saw a dramatic decrease to 10 deaths, but the number increased again this year. Of the 512,407, 114 suffer from marasmus-kwashiorkor (clinical disorders), 12,704 from malnutrition and 72,067 undernourishment.

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