Bandung – West Java: At least 10 infants have died of malnutrition in West Java over the past three months, with the real number of malnourished children estimated to be much higher in the province.

Head of the provincial health agency's service division, Fita Rosemary, said they had recorded 24,067 cases of malnourished children from January to March this year.

"These numbers are much lower than the actual number of cases. The data was only based on reports from community health centers where parents take their children for treatment," Fita said.

Fita said out of the 4.5 million children in the province, only 40 to 50 percent received medical attention. "Poverty and poor access to health centers are two main constraints in dealing with malnutrition cases," she said.

"Diseases that can afflict malnourished children include tuberculosis, meningitis and heart problems. Most of the malnourished children come from poor families," she said. The three regencies, which have the most cases of malnourished children, she said, were Cirebon regency, Bandung regency and Karawang regency