JAKARTA - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) said 15 districts in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) were in an emergency situation related to the problem of stunting.
"I believe that focusing on convergence at the village level will determine the acceptance of the benefit package for families at risk of stunting," said Head of the BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo in a written statement from the BKKBN, Friday, March 4.
Based on the 2021 Indonesian Nutrition Status Study (SSGI), in NTT there are 15 districts in the red category because the stunting rate is above 30 percent, such as the districts of South Central Timor, North Central Timor, Alor, Southwest Sumba, East Manggarai, Kupang, and Rote Ndao. .
In addition, the districts of Belu, West Manggarai, West Sumba, Central Sumba, Sabu Raijua, Manggarai, Lembata, and Malacca. In fact, South Central Timor and North Central Timor recorded prevalence rates above 46 percent.
A total of five of the 15 districts in NTT are included in the top 10 regions with the highest prevalence of stunting in Indonesia out of 246 districts/cities that are the priority in accelerating the reduction of stunting. The five districts, South Central Timor ranked first, North Central Timor ranked second, Alor ranked fifth, Southwest Sumba ranked sixth, and East Manggarai ranked eighth.
The BKKBN mentions seven districts/cities in the yellow category with stunting rates between 20-30 percent, including Ngada, East Sumba, Nagekeo, Ende, Sikka, Kupang City, and East Flores.
“There is not a single area in NTT that has green status or has a prevalence of 'stunting' between 10 and 20 percent. Moreover, the status is blue for the prevalence of 'stunting' below 10 percent,” he said.
To overcome this problem, the BKKBN has formed 200,000 family companion teams consisting of midwives, PKK, and family planning cadres. Later, the team will oversee the family starting from before the mother is pregnant until after giving birth or in the first 1,000 days of a child's life (HPK).
Examination of the prospective bride and groom three months before marriage is also carried out in order to anticipate the potential birth of a baby who suffers from stunting. Checking on access to sanitation, latrines, and improving literacy are also intensified through collaboration between related ministries/institutions.
On the other hand, with the National Action Plan for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction in Indonesia (RAN PASTI), the handling of stunting will also involve assistance from universities, through the Merdeka Campus Program which is considered effective in increasing public education related to stunting.
“The problem of 'stunting' in our society is not only a matter for the government or stakeholders. The problem of 'stunting' is a national problem that we must solve together and requires collaboration from all parties, “said Hasto. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines stunting as a child development disorder caused by poor nutrition, repeated infections and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. As a result, children can be susceptible to disease in old age and growth and development that is not optimal. The national stunting rate is still 24.4 percent. Through various sensitive and specific approaches, the government targets that number to fall to 14 percent by 2024.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
