Health Sub-dept. Says Toddlers In East Jakarta Only Experience Malnutrition, Not Malnutrition

PMI officers check children's nutrition/ Photo: Rizky Sulistio/ VOI

JAKARTA - The Head of the East Jakarta Health Sub-dept., Indra Setiawan, denied that the East Jakarta area is the main rank of people with malnutrition. According to him, toddlers in East Jakarta only suffer from malnutrition, not malnutrition.

Based on the Ministry of Health's EPPGBM report in August 2020, Indra continued, the total number of undernourished children in the East Jakarta area was 687 children, and 172 malnourished children.

Indra explained, malnutrition is a nutritional condition of toddlers which is characterized by a very thin condition, with or without edema on the backs of the legs. Body weight for length, or body weight, versus height less than -3 standard deviations or an upper arm circumference of less than 11.5 centimeters in children aged 6-59 months.

Indra further said, WHO said that many factors can cause malnutrition. Most are related to poor diet and severe infections.

According to Indra, malnutrition or kwashiorkor is caused by children not getting food with sufficient energy and protein content. This is often associated with a low level of the economy.

"At the sub-district and sub-district levels, if there are cases of malnutrition, the puskesmas officers will conduct screening for measuring nutritional status, nutritional consultations, giving milk or formula food according to the standard for managing malnutrition and carrying out periodic monitoring," he told reporters, Tuesday, February 15.

Meanwhile, regarding the handling of undernourished children under five, the puskesmas officers also provide education by means of nutrition consultations as well as providing additional food and monitoring.

"If the toddler has nutritional problems, they will be referred to a health facility according to the diagnosis of the disease found," he said.