"6.2 percent of Serbian children malnourished"

At least 150,000 children can only dream about having meat and sweets on their table. 6.2 percent of children are malnourished, daily Vecernje novosti writes. Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut Institute of Public Health has stated that 6.2 percent of minors are malnourished and statistical data show that there is a clear connection between poverty and health. "6.2 percent of Serbian children malnourished" “In order for a three-member family to get welfare they have to fulfill certain conditions and the basic one is a means test,” Labor and Social Policy Ministry’s Nevena Rajkovic explained. Starting from October, each family that has less than RSD 6,598 a month is eligible to apply for welfare. The Labor and Social Policy Ministry says it is aware that the amount is not nearly enough to feed a child, no matter how hard their parents try. Polls conducted by the Labor and Social Policy Ministry and UNICEF show that parents often cannot afford to buy meat more than once a month. “There is not a small number of families with children who do not get any aid and all of them live in much more difficult conditions than persons being cared for by the institutions,” humanitarian NGO Food Bank President Radmila Ivetic has said. The Food Bank has distributed 142 tons of foodstuffs to 36,000 poorest households in the last five years. “That is why we get many requests for help everyday, both from individuals and from various associations, social institutions… And we even have our own database that we check regularly and we certainly help those who are in the most difficult situation. And those are primarily children,” Ivetic stressed. The Bank Food says that children under the age of 13 are the most vulnerable group. The poorest families live in central and southeast Serbia.

"6.2 percent of Serbian children malnourished"

“In order for a three-member family to get welfare they have to fulfill certain conditions and the basic one is a means test,” Labor and Social Policy Ministry’s Nevena Rajković explained.

Starting from October, each family that has less than RSD 6,598 a month is eligible to apply for welfare.

The Labor and Social Policy Ministry says it is aware that the amount is not nearly enough to feed a child, no matter how hard their parents try.

Polls conducted by the Labor and Social Policy Ministry and UNICEF show that parents often cannot afford to buy meat more than once a month.

“There is not a small number of families with children who do not get any aid and all of them live in much more difficult conditions than persons being cared for by the institutions,” humanitarian NGO Food Bank President Radmila Ivetić has said. The Food Bank has distributed 142 tons of foodstuffs to 36,000 poorest households in the last five years.

“That is why we get many requests for help everyday, both from individuals and from various associations, social institutions… And we even have our own database that we check regularly and we certainly help those who are in the most difficult situation. And those are primarily children,” Ivetić stressed.

The Bank Food says that children under the age of 13 are the most vulnerable group. The poorest families live in central and southeast Serbia.