Kotabaru distributes nutritional intake to push stunting handling

Kotabaru, South Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Chairman of Acceleration of Stunting Reduction Team (TPPS), who is also Deputy Regent of Kotabaru, Andi Rudi Latif continues to promote stunting handling through providing nutritional intake on an ongoing basis in the district to remote villages.

"Due to limited budget, we are trying to find other ways in handling stunting, and prevention and reduction requires cross-sectoral coordination, both the government, business community, and the community," said Andi Rudi Latif here on Monday.

Bang Arul (nckname of the Deputy Regent) pointed out that the problems of stunting is a national priority that it handling by adopting comprehensiv approach, including health, education, early chilhood development (PAUD), water, sanitation and cleanliness, food security, as well as social protection insentives and aligning various level of government to deal with the risk of obtacle to children's motoric and mental growth.

Thus, he pays serious attention to continue to encourage handling.

Tackling stunting is an important step to ensure all households with pregnant women or children under two years have access to complete range of essential services to reduce stunting. Government cannot do all this alone, but proper collaboration is needed.

Mothers, he said, should be encouraged to exclusively breastfeed until theirm babies are six months old. They dot only need better access to services, but also need increased awareness and knowledge.

"Alhamdulillah, today we are distributing additional food assistance for nutritional intake for stunted children and (the fund) not sourced from the government (non APBD). This is a program that we initiated with Dandim (the District Military Commander) and Lazis Assalam Fil Alamin Foundation as a form of attention and participation in helping the handlng of stunting in Kotabaru District," said Bang Arul.

The hand-over of nutritional intake assistance for the Sub-district of Pulau Laut Timur took place at the hall of Langkang Baru Village, Pulau Laut Timur sub-district.

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