Stunting Rate In Jember 34.9 Percent, Dexa Medica Synergizes With BKKBN Educational Hundreds Of Midwives

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo has allocated Rp186.4 trillion or 5.6 percent for the health sector in the 2024 State Budget (APBN). One of the main focuses is achieving the target of reducing stunting prevalence in Indonesia by 14 percent in 2024.

To encourage the achievement of the stunting reduction target of 14 percent in 2024, Dexa Medica collaborated with the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) of the Republic of Indonesia to hold a Midwives Education and Stunting Intervention program in Jember Regency, East Java Province on Friday, October 27, 2023.

Present at this activity were the Main Expert for Family Extension Planning BKKBN RI Dwi Listyawardani, Head of the Jember Regency Health Office dr. Hendro Soelistijono, Chairman of the East Java Indonesian Midwives Association (IBI) Lestari, Head of the Situbondo District Health Office dr. Sandy Hendrayono, Corporate Affairs Director Dexa Group Tarcisius Tanto Randy, Executive Director Dexa Laboratories of Biomolecular Sciences (DLBS) Prof. Raymond Tjandrawinata, and Marketing and Sales Director of CHD Dexa Medica March Yudianto as well as hundreds of midwives from the Indonesian Midwives Association in Jember, Banyuwangi, Situbondo, Bondowoso, Lumajang, and Probolinggo Regencies.

Dwi Listyawardani said that stunting is a quite important problem. stunting occurs due to lack of nutritional intake and can also occur repeated infections during the First 1,000 Days of Life (HPK).

"Stunting is a threat to the quality of the younger generation. Not only does it experience physical growth disruption. But it is also disturbed by the development of the brain, which will affect the abilities and achievements of schools, as well as productivity and creativity in productive age," explained Dwi Listyawardani.

Furthermore, it was stated that the stunting rates at Karisidentan Besuki were Banyuwangi, Bondowoso, Jember, and Situbondo, plus Lumajang and Probolinggo, were still quite high.

"The problem is in East Java, especially because of marriage at an early age. The figure is above 50 percent," said Dwi Listyawardani.

The chairman of the East Java IBI, Lestari, revealed that together with 38,698 midwives throughout Indonesia, his party is committed to helping reduce stunting rates and pursuing the target of reducing stunting to 14 percent by 2024.

One of the roles of midwives in reducing stunting is not only in Jember, but also nationally is to maximize the role of midwives.

"We always intervene. We always provide assistance to pregnant women whose risks are very important. So friends in the field, we always support that if there is an examination of their pregnancy they are at high risk, we already have a note. Not only that, as an effort to reduce stunting, we also provide counseling education, "he explained.

Head of the Jember District Health Office, Mr. dr. Hendro Soelistijono said that based on data from the Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI), the prevalence of stunting in Jember Regency in 2022 was 34.9 percent, the highest in East Java province.

"I hope that stunting cases in Jember Regency can be suppressed again so that they can reach the target of 14 percent by 2024," said Hendro.

On the same occasion, the Head of the Situbondo District Health Office, Sandy Hendrayono, said that his party was focusing on reducing the stunting rate in Situbondo Regency in 20 villages in the Situbondo area.

One of our efforts is to innovate the breast milk support group, which plays a role in creating a environment to support breastfeeding in rural areas. There are 48 groups formed, their job is to prevent stunting through breast milk intake. Another effort to increase exclusive breast milk, we use ASIMOR supplements," said Sandy.

In this event, education was also carried out by the Executive Director of DLBS Prof. Raymond Tjandrawinata related to the raw materials for the Indigenous Indonesian Modern Medicine, HerbaAsimor, to help increase the quantity and quality of breast milk. The raw materials that come from Indonesian nature, namely katuk leaves, torbung leaves, and Notch fish.

"We understand that many mothers in Indonesia who are pregnant have difficulty producing breast milk or a small volume, so we are looking for good ingredients from Indonesia that can not only increase the volume of breast milk but also the quality of breast milk. Herbal Asimore consists of torsilun leaves, katuk leaf extract, and also snake fish extract. This is the usefulness of Indonesia's natural biodiversity for medicines," he explained.

Corporate Affairs Director Dexa Group Mr. Tarcisius Tanto Randy said Dexa Group contributed to overcoming stunting with BKKBN, Regional Leadership Communication Forum (Forkompinda), and the Indonesian Midwives Association by educating midwives in Jember Regency.

Jember tidak sendiri berupaya untuk mengatasi penurunan prevalensi ini. Kami dari Dexa Group, berdasarkan kesapatian kami, turut mendukung Program Percepatan Penurunan Stunting, sesuai dengan dasar perusahaan Expertise for the Promotion of Health, kata Tarcisius.

Head of Corporate Communications Dexa Group Mr. Sonny Himawan emphasized that the stunting reduction target is the implementation of one of the core values of the deal with care company.

To achieve the stunting reduction target of up to 14 percent requires pentahelix collaboration. Since 2022 Dexa Group and BKKBN have collaborated with more than 7,000 midwives in 8 regions to provide stunting prevention education, said Head of Corporate Communications Dexa Group, Sonny Himawan.

As a company in the health sector, Dexa Group also plays a role in creating pharmaceutical product innovations that support stunting intervention efforts, one of which is through HerbaAsimor products. This product was developed from Indonesia's natural wealth which plays a role in improving the quality and quantity of breast milk.

"HerbaAsimor from katuk leaf extract, torbung leaves, and active fractions of snakehead fish help improve the quality and quantity of breast milk. Based on research results on consumers conducted by PT Dexa Medica, as many as 8 out of 10 breastfeeding mothers feel the benefits of HerbaAsimor," explained March Yudianto.

Another innovation is in the field of technology, through the Teman Bumil application with around 3.7 million users in Indonesia since 2017.

"This application facilitates midwives to easily provide education about preventing stunting for pregnant women through the collaboration of midwives," said Chief Operations Officer, Ruth Retno Dewi.