MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Nine million children in Latinamerica malnourished

FAO called Friday on Latinamerican governments to fight infant malnutrition in the region which affects nine million children in the region which are born condemned to exclusion,

"If children are having a rough time, nothing can be right", said Pedro Medrano FAO' regional director during a video conference from Panama. "We're calling on all governments to give priority to combating infant malnutrition; it's more than a rights, it's a moral issue", said Medrano who revealed that nine million children below five years suffer chronic malnutrition or below size symptoms. Medrano added that another nine million children run the risk of exposure to malnutrition since they currently suffer "some degree of poor nutrition". FAO representative in Chile Jose Graziano revealed that hunger and malnutrition affect 53 million people in Latinamerica and the Caribbean, "equivalent to 10% of total population". Countries with the highest chronic malnutrition prevalence among children are Guatemala, 49%, followed by Honduras, 29% and Bolivia, 27%. Graciano said that hunger remains a significant scourge in the region and "sustained economic growth is the best weapon to fight hunger seriously". Medrano pointed out that groups most exposed to malnutrition and hunger are Afro descendents groups and aborigines. According to the World Food Program and the UN Economic Commission for Latinamerica and the Caribbean, infant malnutrition costs in Central America and the Dominican Republic range 5.6 billion US dollars, or 6.4% of the region's GDP because of higher health costs, learning problems and lesser competitiveness. "We're convinced that it's perfectly attainable from now to 2015 to substantially reduce infant malnutrition, because it's not so costly and it's a good investment", added Medrano. Graziano said that Chile has already reached the UN Millennium Targets although there are still some "thousands of undernourished" and Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay are on the same path, "but we are concerned over Paraguay and Bolivia". In Central America only Costa Rica is on the same positive track, "the rest are delayed or have dropped further back, including most of the Caribbean", indicated Graziano. He finally pointed out that in Cuba, "nourishment is considered a basic fundamental right, guaranteed by government policies".