Camelia Pasandaran – A team from the State Ministry for People's Welfare is slated to visit Yahukimo, Papua, to find out what is happening in the district, where at least 92 people have reportedly died this year from hunger.

"A team will visit the area to provide first aid as well as to assess the actual conditions," said Rizal Mallarangeng, who currently works as a special staff member at the ministry.

"Reported data indicates 92 people have died from famine as of August. But we cannot respond if we do not confirm this for ourselves. The number of 92 deaths is nothing in comparison to the number of people who have died in West Java," he said, referring to the recent earthquake which struck the province.

Government officials have been at odds over the cause of the food scarcity. The district head of Yahukimo, Ones Pahabol, said on Monday that the entire district has been suffering from famine.

But Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie recently denied that the district was under such calamity.

"I was shocked to read reports about this, while in fact no such problem exists. I have received reports from the district head as well as church officials, saying that there is no such thing," state news agency Antara quoted Aburizal as saying.

"So no one has died because of famine. Sure, there must always be deaths every day. Even in Jakarta deaths happen every day."

Bakrie said despite the confusion, the ministry would not let anyone needlessly die of hunger.

"We have prepared 100 tons of rice, 1,100 boxes of instant noodles, canned foods and cooking tools," he said. The aid will be delivered by a team that will also investigate the actual situation.

"We will decide later how to solve the problem after the team determines the actual existing conditions." But he added that the Ministry should not only focus on the problem of hunger, but on district development as well.

"We should not waste money on something that we are not yet absolutely certain about, while they also need electricity and roads to be built," he said. He also pointed out that the cost to rent a helicopter to deliver the aid is extremely expensive. "It may cost up to Rp 80 million ($8,000) for one hour."

Pahabol said despite concerns, there was not yet any plan to evacuate the district's residents. "Their lives are so very connected to nature there," he said. "Most of them are reluctant to be evacuated."