According To Jokowi's Orders, The Gunung Kidul Regency Government Will Continue To Reduce The Stunting Rate From 15.7 Percent In 2021

Handling the stunting rate through the local health center. (Antara)

YOGYAKARTA - The Gunung Kidul Regency Government continues to strive to reduce the stunting rate to be as targeted by President Joko Widodo to be 14 percent in 2024.

Head of the Public Health Division of the Gunung Kidul Health Service, Diyah Prasetyorini, said that in 2021 the stunting rate reached 15.7 percent, and is targeted to be 14 percent this year through sensitive intervention programs and specific interventions.

"In terms of achievement, the stunting rate in Gunung Kidul is still below the national average of 24.5 percent. However, countermeasures continue to be carried out so that babies with malnutrition can be reduced," she said in Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta Special Region, quoted by Antara, Friday 17 June.

To achieve this target, she admits that it takes hard work and cooperation with all regional apparatus organizations (OPD) within the district government, while the community must participate in achieving this target.

"In accordance with Regent's Regulation Number 49 of 2020 concerning Acceleration of Stunting Reduction and this is the basis for implementing activities," she said.

The reduction in stunting is carried out in several programs. However, broadly speaking, there are two, namely sensitive intervention programs and specific interventions.

The specific intervention is more focused on health workers who directly touch the target group with the work program of prevention, while the sensitive intervention is more inclined to the participation of the community and third parties in reducing stunting.

"Accelerating the handling of stunting must be cross-sectoral and all elements of society participate," she said.

Head of the Gunung Kidul Agriculture and Food Service, Rismiyadi, said that her party is participating in efforts to prevent stunting, one of which is the development of Inpari IR Nutrizinc rice.

She explained that in terms of quality, this variety is considered to be a superior seed. The rice produced is rich in nutrients, especially ZN to prevent stunting. Based on research, stunting in infants occurs due to a lack of nutritional intake of ZN.

"If ordinary rice contains only 20 percent ZN, then for Inpari Nutrizinc it can be more than 34.5 percent, while the carbohydrate content is also lower, only about 16 percent," she said.