Health ministry to speed up new family care

A drastic decline in physical and intellectual development among children over the past few years has prompted the Public Health Ministry to speed up new family care centres across the country, according to Public Health Department directorgeneral Dr Narongsak Angkasuwapala.

Citing a national study of the intelligence quotient among Thai children, he said the overall figure had decreased from 91 points in 1997 to 88 in 2002. The standard is between 91 and 110 points.

Moreover, the rate of physical development in children has decreased from 72 per cent in 2004 to 67.5 per cent in 2007.

Breastfeeding exclusively during the first six months of life has....