Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Presidencia de la República Mexicana
Caracas (Agenzia Fides) - In José María Velaz college, in the west of Caracas, several cases of malnutrition have been registered following the fainting of some pupils, at least one a day, as a result of the great difficulties of many families who cannot buy food. The data collected by this school report that about 25% of students have difficulty finding food and 18% suffer from hunger in a critical form. Teachers have found at least 120 cases of food deficit and 2 cases of malnutrition out of a total of 478 pupils who attend the college. The alarm was spread by a local magazine, sent to Fides.
According to the headmistress of the school, the symptoms of children with nutritional deficiencies are: fainting, headaches, stomachache and weight loss. Now there is great concern about the situation when schools reopen in September, given that between May and July, the number of malnourished children tripled. These data are added to those of a study by Venebarómetro in the month of April, which indicates that about 86.3% of Venezuelans are buying less food. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 19/07/2016)
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