Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture stated that the simultaneous intervention program of measuring and weighing toddlers at integrated health posts (posyandu) was crucial in reducing stunting rates.
"The ministry has coordinated measurement interventions throughout Indonesia. Shortly, the results will be conveyed, including the stunting rate as well," the ministry's acting secretary, Nunung Nuryartono, stated when met in Jakarta on Thursday.
According to Nuryartono, the simultaneous intervention is one of the government's efforts to match data from the Indonesian Health Survey (SKI) in 2023 with the electronic application for Community-Based Nutrition Recording and Reporting (EPPGBM).
Based on the SKI data for 2022, the stunting rate in Indonesia was 21.6 percent and decreased by 0.1 percent to 21.5 percent in 2023.
"President Joko Widodo, accompanied by the coordinating minister for human development and culture and the minister of health, had also carried out simultaneous intervention activities in Bogor and Jakarta. All posyandu in Indonesia also carry out this effort," Nuryartono revealed.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo stated that the consolidation and cooperation of all parties were important in reducing the stunting rate.
He made this statement during a visit to the Wijaya Kusuma Posyandu in Bogor, West Java, and the RPTRA Integrated Posyandu, Taman Sawo, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on June 11, for the Simultaneous Toddler Weighing Month at 338 thousand posyandu across Indonesia.
"Stunting is not merely related to food but also nutrition, sanitation, the surrounding environment, and the water issue," the president stated.
In addition, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Muhadjir Effendy, affirmed that mothers hold the key to lowering stunting rates.
"The key to eliminating stunting lies with the mother. Everyone just helps. No matter how helpful the surroundings are, if the mother does not care about her kid, the effort will not work," he emphasized.
He also urged mothers to immediately visit the posyandu if their child's weight had dropped.
"Do not wait to be visited by posyandu cadres. The mother should have awareness," Effendy reminded.
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
