Unicef Encourages Child Malnutrition Eradication Program In Aceh To Continue

Illustration - The team of doctors attaches the Upper Arm Circumference Tape (LILA), a fast detection tool for measuring nutrition in children under five. (AMONG)

ACEH - The Unicef Aceh Representative Office encourages the provincial and district/city governments to continue to implement sustainable programs for the prevention and alleviation of malnutrition in children.

Head of Unicef Aceh Representative Andi Yoga Tama said that solving malnutrition does not only stop at the commitment of the health sector. Multi-sectoral roles are needed in implementing the program.

"The government is expected to be committed to replicating and ensuring the sustainability of the program," Andi said in a written statement received in Banda Aceh, Antara, Thursday, December 9.

Andi also appreciated the performance, achievements and innovations of the Aceh Government and eight districts/cities in tackling child malnutrition during the three years of cooperation. “We hope this commitment can continue and even be followed by many other regions. Unicef Indonesia is open to collaborating with various cities/regencies in Aceh," he said.

He said, malnutrition is still a big homework for the Aceh Government. Based on the 2018 Riskesdas data, it shows that the prevalence of stunting in Aceh is at 37.1 percent, the third highest in Indonesia.

Andi explained, since 2019 Unicef Indonesia has assisted eight districts/cities in Aceh, direct intervention was carried out for the districts of Aceh Jaya, Aceh Singkil, Sabang and Simeulue. Then, indirect interventions for Aceh Selatan, Gayo Lues, Nagan Raya and Pidie were all carried out as an effort to reduce the number of malnutrition cases in Aceh.

"Interventions are carried out through capacity building, policy advocacy, planning and budgeting to monitoring and evaluation at the city/district government level to the community or village level," he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Control, Evaluation and Development of Bappeda Aceh, Reza Saputra, stated that the cooperation between the Aceh Government and Unicef Indonesia was in line with the Aceh Government's target in the 2017-2022 Aceh RPJM.

"Especially regarding the target of reducing the prevalence of stunting to less than 20 percent, as well as suppressing malnourished children under five from 2.6 percent to 2.1 percent and undernutrition under five from 14.1 percent to 11.8 percent," he said.

Reza hopes that the meeting of the parties that has been carried out is expected to provide lessons about many things. This includes the exchange of experience and knowledge of various technical matters, strategies and new approaches in each region.

"Commitment and coordination towards a sustainable program is the key to the success of the program to be implemented," he added.