2ND LEAD (CORRECTION)

Puthukudiyiruppu children malnourished

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 18 September 2007, 01:13 GMT]
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), in a a six month long research involving 5250 children in the administrative area of Regional Health officer of Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaitheevu district, Wanni, has found widespread serious malnourishment among the children.

The research conducted children age ranging from 6 month old infants up to 5 year old, provided evidence of serious malnourishment, due to transport difficulties and economic blockade imposed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GOSL).

In the research covering the 17 family welfare officer divisions a total of 225 children from various age groups have been found to be malnourished while 986 were observed to be under nourished.

In the age group of infants from 6 months to 1 year, among the 737 children, 20 were found to be seriously malnourished while 110 were observed to be undernourished .

Within the range of children between 1-2 years out of the 1286 children, 53 were found to be seriously malnourished while 237 were observed to be undernourished

Out of the 3227 children in the age range 2-5 years, 152 were found to be seriously malnourished while 739 were observed to be undernourished

UNICEF has embarked on a programme to provide the affected children with food supplement.

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