BKKBN Socializes KB Program And Handling Stunting At Borders

Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo (Between)

SERAWAK - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) held a socialization of the KB Program and stunting handling in Indonesia's border areas with Malaysia.

Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo met Indonesian citizens who work at Malaysian oil palm and rubber plantations, Tradewinds, in Ladang Ladong, Simunjan, Sarawak, during the socialization of the Proud Kencana Program and stunting management on Saturday.

"Mr. President Jokowi ordered us to tour the borders of Indonesian territory to check whether the people are in good health or not," he said.

He said that the government wants to ensure that residents living in border areas in Indonesia and Malaysia can access reproductive health services and other health services they need.

During the visit of the Head of BKKBN in Sarawak, midwives from the Sambas area in West Kalimantan were deployed to provide contraceptive services to around 100 Indonesian workers.

Hasto said that contraception is needed to regulate the birth distance of children, which also plays an important role in efforts to prevent stunting.

"Don't let our Indonesian nation stunt high. Mothers should not let their children develop non-optimal," he said as quoted by Antara.

A worker from Makassar, South Sulawesi, Wati, welcomed the health counseling activities carried out by the BKKBN in Ladang Ladong. He is happy to receive additional health knowledge.

"Alhamdulillah, my child is three, but everything is more than five years apart, and no one is stunted," said Wati.

Tradewinds Executive Manager, Mr. Jamali, expressed his appreciation to the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) and the BKKBN for conducting socialization activities to prevent stunting and KB services in Ladang Ladong.

The Indonesian Consul General in Kuching Sigit Witjaksono hopes that BKKBN can hold similar activities for Indonesian workers in other parts of Malaysia.

"We hope that later the socialization program can be continued to PMI (Indonesian migrant workers) in other areas in Malaysia," he said.