Jokowi Affirms Stunting Is A Muara Anak Indonesia Difficult To Compete In Today's Memory, 7 July 2022

JAKARTA - Today's memory, three years ago, July 7, 2022, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that Indonesian children should not be stunted. He revealed the message because stunting can make Indonesian children lose to competing with children from other countries.

Previously, the problem of malnutrition and stunting was often an endless problem. The case became an anomaly because Indonesia had abundant food sources. This condition makes the Indonesian government move. They no longer want Indonesian children to be stunted.

The Indonesian government has an obligation to protect its people from malnutrition and stunting problems. However, desires and realities can sometimes not be realized simultaneously. Both problems are often a part that never ends.

This problem is often a national news. The Indonesian government is ashamed of it. Indonesia itself is known as a country that has abundant food sources. The existence of malnutrition and stunting is clearly a big disgrace.

Take for example when the emergence of malnutrition and stunting problems in Asmat Regency, South Papua in early January 2018. The incident was even used as an Extraordinary Event (KLB). The status of the KLB is a disgrace for the Indonesian government.

The problem of malnutrition and stunting reached President Jokowi's ears. Jokowi does not only carry the problem of malnutrition. Instead, he pays more attention to stunting cases.

According to him, stunting is not only a matter of height. Stunting is considered a big problem in human life slow brain development to less immunity. The competitiveness is limited.

Jokowi did not want any Indonesian children to be stunted. He appealed to mothers to immediately take their children to the posyandu.

"Sekali bulan sekali anak-anak kita dibawa ke Posyandu untuk diberimbang dan ditimbangkan tinggi badannya, dicatat secara rutin. Ini sekali penting bagi ibu-bua yang memiliki bayi dan Balita, agar kita bisa tahu anak kita itu stunting atau tidak. Jangan sampai anak-anak kita kecil, (tinggi badannya) dwarf," tutur Presiden Joko Widodo, saat memulai kegiatan di hari kedua rangkaian kunjungan kerjaannya di Kabupaten Sukabumi, Jawa Barat, sebagaimana dikutip laman Kemkes.go.id, 8 April 2018.

Jokowi still asked his staff to focus on the issue of stunting prevention. He considers stunting matters cannot be underestimated. He reiterated that Indonesian children should not stunt on July 7, 2022. He conveyed this during the 2022 National Family Day in Medan, North Sumatra.

He emphasized that mothers in Indonesia must pay attention to child nutrition and nutrition. This combination makes it difficult for children to avoid stunting. Problems arise if this is not done. He emphasized that stunting will make the next generation of Indonesian children difficult to compete.

Indonesian children will lose to children from other countries. This condition will make Indonesia's future bleak. Jokowi didn't want that to happen either. He tried to face the total problem of stunting.

Don't have children every year, (have children) it's arranged for more than three years. So that mothers have recovered, have good nutrition, can have more children. And most importantly prepare their education to become quality next-generation human resources.

"But if our children are stunted, the nutrition is not good, the nutrition is not sufficient, once in the future competing with other countries will be very difficult. This is what I always remind you. Therefore, what is called stunting, we really have to work hard to reduce the percentage," Jokowi said as quoted by the COMPASS.com page, July 7, 2022.