Vital Midwives' Role In Handling And Prevention Of Stunting In Batam City

JAKARTA - Handling stunting in Indonesia, including in Batam City, requires the active role of health workers, especially midwives, as the spearhead of basic services in society.

In an effort to reduce stunting rates, midwives are not only in charge of childbirth services, but also have an important role in nutrition education, monitoring children's growth and development, as well as maternal assistance since pregnancy.

The Batam City Health Office emphasized that midwives are a key component in efforts to prevent and control stunting.

"Based on data from the Health Human Resources Information System (SISDMK), Batam currently has 1,229 midwives, with 339 of them placed in 21 health centers," said Head of the Batam Health Service, Didi Kusmarjadi, Monday (in Batam).

However, this number is still not ideal. Referring to the standard ratio of the Ministry of Health, namely two midwives per 1,000 population, Batam, which has a population of around 1.34 million people, should require around 2,684 midwives.

"Thus, we still lack around 1,455 midwives. This is a serious challenge to strengthen basic health services, especially for mothers and children," said Didi.

He explained that midwives at the puskesmas have an important responsibility in providing counseling related to balanced nutrition, exclusive promotion of breast milk, complementary food, and the application of clean and healthy living behavior (PHBS). The main targets of this education are pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and families who have toddlers.

In addition to education, midwives are also actively involved in monitoring children's growth and development activities, such as regular weight measurements and height. Data from this measurement is then reported quarterly, with a target coverage of 80 percent of toddlers recorded.

Continuous assistance is also carried out during an important period of 1,000 Days of Life (HPK), ranging from pregnancy to two years of pregnancy. This period is considered very crucial in preventing growth disorders that can have long-term impacts.

Not only that, but midwives also contribute to various nutritional intervention programs, additional food delivery (PMT), complete basic immunization, and digital recording of stunting data through the e-PPGBM application (Electronic Community-Based Nutrition Registration and Reporting).

Cross-sectoral collaboration and sustainable education are very important in building public awareness to prevent stunting. We hope that all parties will continue to synergize so that Batam can become a city free from stunting," concluded Didi.