High Stunting Rate In North Sumatra, Hasto Wardoyo Asks All Parties To Collaborate

Hasto Wardoyo asked all parties in North Sumatra to be aware of the high stunting rate. (Ist Photo)

JAKARTA - The high stunting rate in a number of areas in North Sumatra has attracted the attention of the Head of BKKBN Dr (HC) dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Sp.OG (K). He hopes that all parties collaborate to reduce stunting rates which are still high in a number of areas.

The condition of stunting prevalence in North Sumatra (North Sumatra) based on the Indonesia Nutrition Status Study (SSGI) 2021 data is very concerning. 13 of the 33 regencies/cities in North Sumatra have a “red” status, aka have a stunting prevalence of above 30 percent.

In fact, Mandailing Natal with a stunting prevalence of 47.1 percent topped the ranking of number 2 out of 246 districts/cities in 12 priority provinces based on SSGI 2021 data. With Padang Lawas with a prevalence of 42 percent, it is included in the top 10 regions with red status.

Apart from Mandailing Natal and Padang Lawas, the red status includes Pakpak Bharat, South Nias, North Nias, Dairi, North Padang Lawas, Nias, Padangsidempuan City, Langkat, Batubara, North Labuan Batu and South Tapanuli.

Meanwhile, those with yellow status or those with stunting prevalence in the range of 20 to 30 percent include Samosir, Simalungun, West Nias, Labuan Batu, South Labuhan Batu, North Tapanuli, Humbang Hasundutan, Gunung Sitoli City, Tanjung Balai City, Sibolga City, Central Tapanuli, Karo, Toba Samosir, and Binjai. To be precise, there are 14 regions with yellow status in North Sumatra.

One of Hasto Wardoyo's activities in Medan in order to reduce stunting rates. (Ist Photo)

Areas with green status that have stunting prevalence in the range of 10 to 20 percent cover 6 regions. The six consisted of Serdang Bedagai, Medan City, Asahan, Tebingtinggi City, Pematang Siantar City and Deli Serdang.

Whereas stunting is not a curse but stunting can be prevented as early as possible. If all aspects from upstream to downstream, the potential for stunting can be anticipated properly, then every family can avoid the birth of stunting babies.

The Deputy Governor of North Sumatra, H. Musa Rajekshah, S.Sos., M.Hum hopes that all regional heads in North Sumatra work together to overcome stunting. The data provided by the BKKBN should serve as a foothold for all of us to move and converge. Rajekshah who is also the Chief Executive of the Acceleration of Downsizing

He is also optimistic that North Sumatra can achieve the target of reducing the stunting rate by 14 percent by 2024.

Meanwhile, several Regents and Mayors who were present supported the commitment conveyed by the Deputy Governor, who is usually called Ijeck.

Regent of Coal Ir. Zahir M.Ap revealed that in order to reduce stunting rates in toddlers, several things must be prepared, one of which is the provision of good nutrition. According to him, accurate data collection for stunting cases in the regions must be improved in order to facilitate the addition of nutrition for children.

"Especially, the Batubara Regency Government will improve data collection better that is in accordance with the facts, this is aimed at providing nutrition to children evenly," he said.

Hasto Wardoyo during stunting socialization. (ist photo)

Mayor of Binjai, Drs. H. Amir Hamzah, M.AP is grateful that the data disclosed by the Head of BKKBN has motivated him to reduce stunting rates in his area. Binjai, whose current status is yellow, routinely holds checks for prospective brides to prevent stunting.

Supporting his two colleagues, Samosir Regent Vandiko T. Gultom ST, invites all stakeholders to work together to provide an understanding of the Healthy Community Movement (Germas), fulfillment of nutritious food intake, improving parenting patterns, increasing access and quality of health services to improve the quality of human resources, stunting prevention in Samosir.

The problem of stunting is a serious problem considering that around 2 – 3 percent of gross domestic income or GDP is lost per year due to stunting. According to Vice President Ma'ruf Amin's calculations some time ago, with Indonesia's GDP in 2020 of around Rp. 15 thousand trillion, the potential loss due to stunting will reach Rp. 450 trillion.

The Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) which was entrusted by President Joko Widodo through Presidential Decree/Perpres No. 72/2021 as the Chief Executive for the Acceleration of Indonesia's Stunting Reduction hopes that cross-sectoral convergence can really be implemented and requires commitment and hard work from all parties.

“Programs, activities and budgets to accelerate stunting reduction are complementary so that the interventions provided are truly accepted by the target households. With the existence of 10,323 Family Assistance Teams or TPKs in North Sumatra, equivalent to 30,969 family facilitators, the problem of stunting throughout North Sumatra must be resolved, "explained Hasto.

According to Hasto Wardoyo, the collaboration of all parties in North Sumatra is the key to accelerating stunting reduction. The involvement of 21 universities in North Sumatra that has a nutrition study program and a health group study program has the potential to be involved. The independent campus program allows students to get semester credit units in Family Planning Villages spread throughout North Sumatra, so that their contribution to accelerating stunting reduction can be optimal.

"I hope that the 385 universities in North Sumatra can carry out stunting care activities. So far, only nine universities or about 2 percent have signed an understanding agreement (MOU) on stunting with the BKKBN. The involvement of students and the maximum deployment of TPK is a solution to cover the stunting problem in 6,132 villages in North Sumatra," said Hasto Wardoyo.

To ensure a shared commitment, the BKKBN held a Socialization of the National Action Plan for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction (RAN PASTI) in Medan, North Sumatra on Wednesday (9 March 2022). The socialization of RAN PASTI in Medan provided an explanation of the working mechanism for accelerating stunting reduction at the provincial, district and city and village levels. Also reviewed regarding monitoring, reporting and evaluation. And last but not least, the stunting “funding” scenario in the regions was also discussed in the socialization. The stunting reduction indicator will be one of the parameters for the success of regional heads in prospering their citizens and promoting regional development progress.

In the RAN PASTI socialization which was held in Medan, apart from the Head of the BKKBN Dr (HC) dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Sp.OG (K), also attended by the Deputy Chairpersons of the Central Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS) from the Vice Presidential Secretariat, the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Bappenas, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Health.