Government Targets Stunting Rate To Drop To 14 Percent In 2024

Illustration/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Deputy Secretary for the Fulfillment of Children's Rights at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) Hendra Jamal said, the government targets the stunting rate to drop to 14 percent by 2024. The President himself targets that by 2024, the stunting rate will drop to 14 percent," said Jamal via a video call at the launch of a product for children in Jakarta, Monday, June 20. Stunting is a condition of failure to thrive in children under five due to chronic malnutrition in the first 1000 days of life. HPK) which causes children to be shorter than their peers. Based on data from the Indonesian Toddler Nutrition Status Survey (SSGBI) in 2021, the prevalence of stunting is currently still at 24.4 percent or around 5.33 million children under five. According to Jamal, the prevalence of stunting has decreased from previous years. Basic Health Research in 2018 showed a decline of 6.4 percent over a 5-year period. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to make children suffer from malnutrition and increase stunting rates. In an effort to accelerate the reduction in stunting rates, Jamal said the PPPA Ministry is mostly engaged in prevention with a focus on women and children, who make up 65.2 percent of the total population. Indonesia. The PPPA Ministry considers it important to make efforts to increase the capacity of the Children's Forum and the Role of Mothers and Families as Pioneers and Reporters (2P). Jamal said the PPPA Ministry carried out five ways to reduce stunting, namely through children, through families, through education units, through the environment, and through region.

Efforts through children, Jamal said, were carried out through the initiation of the National Children's Forum, Family Learning Center (Puspaga), Joint Movement for the Prevention of Child Marriage, Child Friendly Schools and Madrasas, Child Friendly Health Centers, Prosperous Children Village, Child Friendly Information Center, Child Friendly Playroom, and Children's Creativity Center. In addition to these programs, Jamal said the PPPA Ministry also cooperates with relevant ministries and institutions. "Tackling stunting is a shared responsibility, not only the government, but also all levels of society and must be done in multi-sectors. Stunting prevention itself can start from fulfilling the best nutrition in the First 1000 Days of Life," Jamal concluded.