MoH collaborates with MoE, JAKOA to address malnutrition among Orang Asli children

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 11 (Bernama) -- The Ministry of Health (MoH) will collaborate with the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Orang Asli Development Department (Jakoa) to address malnutrition issue among Orang Asli children, aged five and above.

Deputy Health Minister Dr Lee Boon Chye said the issue was raised by paediatricians and volunteers involved in the 'outreach' programme in Orang Asli villages throughout the country.

He said the ministry, in collaboration with several agencies, currently in the midst of collecting data to identify the number of children suffering from malnutrition, expected to be completed within two months.

“For children aged five and below, MoH has a rehabilitation programme for malnourished children and it should be continued with food aid programme carried out by MoE when they enrol in school.

“However, some children drop out of school and then suffer from malnutrition, so we have to find a way to reach out to this group,” he told reporters after officiating the ‘DRsforAll’ programme here today.

Dr Lee said ‘DRsforAll’ programme would organise more than 10 medical outreach camps to Orang Asli communities in remote areas in Pahang, Kelantan, Perak and Selangor, to enable them to receive health services including dentistry.

The programme, to be carried out for 11 months, would involve 30 volunteers, including doctors from the Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Association of Malaysia (FPMPAM), and expected to benefit over 5,000 patients.

“Support from the private sector in this programme will help strengthen the government’s goal in ensuring that no one is left behind to seek health services even in remote areas with access problems,” he said.

--BERNAMA