Mataram City Government Prepares Rp. 44 Billion for Handling Stunting This Year

Activity of weighing toddlers in posyandu activities in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province. (Photo: ANTARA)

Mataram - The Mataram City Government (Pemkot), West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Province, in 2026 prepared a budget of Rp. 44 billion specifically for handling and reducing stunting cases in the city.

The Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Mataram City, Lalu Alwan Basri, said that the budget allocation was a form of commitment by the Mataram City Government to achieve the zero stunting target in 2026.

"To pursue this target, the stuntig handling program is carried out in a comprehensive and comprehensive manner," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Sunday, April 19.

Based on the latest data from the Mataram City Health Office (Dinkes), stunting cases in Mataram City were 5.53 percent or about 1,204 toddlers who were classified as stunted and at the beginning of 2026 no new cases had been found.

According to the Secretary of the Regional Secretary, the stunting handling program is carried out in a comprehensive and comprehensive manner by involving the Health Service, the Population and Family Planning Service (DP2KB), PKK, women's organizations, and all Regional Device Organizations (OPD) in Mataram City, which are also supported by various external parties through CSR funds, such as BUMN, Baznas, and professional institutions such as the Notary Association and IDI.

"We are optimistic that with cross-sector collaboration, the handling of stunting and poverty can run optimally. Stunting and poverty are closely related so that all elements of society need to be involved," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Mataram City Health Office, Emirald Isfihan, said that the current trend in handling stunting is on a positive track and denied the news of a spike or withdrawal of data from the provincial level that is not in accordance with the conditions of the field.

"We have confirmed to the province, there is no spike. We have also checked all the health centers, the results are still the same as the total cases at 5.53 percent," he said.

Meanwhile, to prevent new cases, the Health Office has tightened supervision since pregnancy through a free ultrasound program at all health centers as well as the obligation to give birth in health facilities.

This step was taken, he said, to ensure that every baby receives medical treatment from birth and detects risks earlier so that they do not develop into new cases of stunting.

"In addition to free ultrasound, we require childbirth to be carried out in health facilities, at least in health centers or hospitals," he said.