Seven more children have reportedly died from malnutrition in the past two months in East Nusa Tenggara, bringing the total number of children who died from the same cause to 13 in the past eight months.
With limited funding support, thousands of children in the province are suffering from malnutrition and have been deprived of adequate medical care.
Isbandria, nutritionist at the rehabilitation division at the local health agency, said that at least 5,287 children under five years old, out of a total 404,900 in the province are suffering from malnutrition.
“Most are in South Timor Tengah with 959 malnourished children, and 8,265 children are suffering inadequate nutrition consumption,” he said Friday.
The central government had stopped providing food supplements for children since 2007, he said.
The provincial administration had asked for Rp 57 billion from the Office of the Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare in 2008, but was not answered, which further impacted thousands of malnourished children.
The provincial administration had set aside Rp 2 billion in 2008, comprising of Rp 1.5 billion for nutrition intervention for malnourished children, especially those below five years old and Rp 500 million for expecting mothers.
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