Child malnutrition on the rise

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

Malnutrition among children under the age of five, which declined to 13.5 percent in 2000 from 23.8 percent in 1993 has again increased to 18 percent in 2006.

According to a Health Ministry spokesman, the estate sector records the highest percentage of chronic malnutrition among children below the age of five.

In 1993, the chronic malnutrition among children under the age of five in the estate sector was 53.7 percent and it was 33.8 percent in 2000.

However, chronic malnutrition in the estate sector had increase to 42.2 percent in 2006. The above statistics are from a survey conducted by the Family Health Bureau in 1993, 2000 and 2006 with the assistance of WHO and National Centre for Health Studies.

Rural areas had been recorded 22.9 percent of chronic malnutrition in 1993 and the figure was 12.8 percent in 2000. Chronic malnutrition in the rural areas had increased to 15.7 percent in 2006.