23.4pct of KL children under 5 stunted, says Health Minister

Kuala Lumpur's Health Minister, Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad, has expressed concern over the malnutrition levels among children under five in the Federal Territory. According to the National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) data, 23.4 percent of these children are stunted, 12.4 percent are underweight, 8.1 percent suffer from wasting, and 7.5 percent are overweight.

These statistics represent more than mere figures; they signify children undergoing a crucial phase of growth and families in need of assistance. When introducing the Urban Community Feeding Programme (PCF Bandar) alongside Seputeh Member of Parliament Teresa Kok, Dr Dzulkefly emphasized that the nation is facing a double burden of malnutrition, where undernutrition coexists with overnutrition.

To combat this issue, the Health Ministry is proactively reaching out to communities to identify at-risk children who do not frequently visit health facilities. As part of their intervention strategy, the PCF Bandar model, launched in a pilot format in 2013, offers 6-month support to affected children aged 1 to 6. This assistance includes monthly growth monitoring, nutritious food baskets, and fresh fruit and vegetables every two weeks.

In Seputeh, the 6-month intervention program is funded through a partnership between Dr Dzulkefly and Kok, following similar initiatives in the Lembah Pantai and Wangsa Maju constituencies.