Health Screening of Rescued GISBH Children Reveals Stunting and Mental Health Issues*

SHAH ALAM, Nov 19 — Health screenings of 266 children rescued from GISB Holdings (GISBH) revealed concerning results: 26.8% of the children are stunted, with 6.8% facing severe stunting. Mental health assessments showed that 89% of the children suffer from anxiety, while 78 have mild depression.

After two months in the care of the Social Welfare Department (JKM), 38.6% of the children gained weight, and 22% of six-year-olds were found to have speech issues. The children will be referred for further psychological or psychiatric care as needed.

Additionally, a questionnaire on religious beliefs found that only 10% had critical belief issues, and 15% faced challenges in Islamic practices. Academically, while many performed well in Malay and Mathematics, 8 children were identified with special learning needs.

A RM100,000 donation was presented today to support the children’s recovery, with the goal of full rehabilitation within a year. The task force overseeing their recovery includes various state and social welfare bodies.