UN Report: Cuba Has Lowest Malnutrition in Region

HAVANA, Jan. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Cuba is the only country in Latin America that has come close to eliminating severe child malnutrition, local media quoted a representative of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) as saying on Tuesday.

Two percent of Cuban children suffer severe malnutrition, a level that the WFP's Myrta Kaulard described as excellent and far from the dramatic malnutrition levels seen elsewhere in the region.

Kaulard said Cuba had nearly eradicated the problem thanks to the measures adopted by the Cuban government and the appropriate use of WFP resources.

The official listed Bolivia, Guatemala and Haiti as the nationswith the highest malnutrition levels in the Latin America and Caribbean region.

Just the fact that relatively poor Cuba is best in Latin America is amazing. But when you factor in the embargo, the lack of international assistance and the droughts the country has endured in recent years - the feat is truly heroic. It shows simply that ending hunger has to do with political committment, not money. But it is Cuba who sits judged for their "committment to human rights."