Dozens of pre-school children in a region of Indonesia's Papua province have died from malnutrition and measles in the past few months.
Photo: borgogniels/123RF
According to an Indonesian military spokesman, local health officials have confirmed the death of 59 toddlers in Asmat regency.
Agence France-Presse The AFP reported Muhammad Aidi as saying the children died from a combination of measles and malnutrition.
Asmat is a remote region of swamp-land along the southern coast of Papua with scarce medical services and a severe shortage of doctors.
The spokesman said it was unclear whether the malnutrition was caused by lack of food or by the parent's poor knowledge about a healthy diet.
But he said, in response, the military had deployed medical teams and support staff to supply Asmat villagers with medicine, vaccines, medical equipment and nutritious food.
