National Family Day, Puan Invites The Community To Support The MCH Bill For Good Nutrition For Children

DPR Chair Puan Maharani (Doc DPR Photo)

JAKARTA - The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, invites the public to make National Family Day June 29 a momentum to improve the nutrition of the nation's next generation. One way is by preventing stunting or chronic nutritional problems.

"Happy National Family Day 2022 to all families in Indonesia. Let's make this National Family Day moment to be more aware of children's nutrition issues," said Puan, Wednesday 29 June.

"Because the problem of child nutrition will determine the quality of the nation's next generation. Indonesia will progress if it has superior human resources (HR), so the issue of improving child nutrition must be a priority," added the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture in his written statement.

Puan reminded that the family is an important foundation for the initial development of the nation's character. The family has 8 functions, namely religion, socio-culture, love, protection, reproduction, education, economy, and the function of fostering the environment to create a resilient family.

"In terms of improving children's nutrition, families can concretely make it happen through the provision of balanced nutrition since the mother is pregnant, providing opportunities for mothers and babies to give birth safely and comfortably, providing exclusive breastfeeding, and paying attention to child development," said Puan.

To realize this, the House of Representatives is currently drafting the Maternal and Child Welfare Bill (RUU KIA) as one of the State's efforts to help families take care of their children so that they have ideal growth and development. One of the focuses in the MCH Bill, said Puan, is for stunting alleviation in Indonesia.

"In the midst of the ongoing challenges of the pandemic, Indonesia still has to focus on reducing stunting cases. Because stunting children have low understanding. Of course, this is an obstacle if we want to have superior human resources,” he explained.

Puan highlighted the results of the 2021 Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI) conducted by the Ministry of Health, where the stunting prevalence rate in Indonesia in 2021 was still at 24.4%. According to him, the MCH Bill will help Indonesia to achieve the stunting prevalence rate target in 2024, which is below 14 percent.

"For that we need mutual cooperation from all elements of the nation. Stunting prevention efforts can be carried out from before marriage up to 1,000 days of the child's life phase, the guidelines for which will be regulated through the MCH Bill," said Puan.

The welfare of mothers and children, for Puan, is a pillar for family happiness. Puan detailed that the welfare of mothers and children includes physical, psychological, social, economic and spiritual well-being.

“This is a continuous unit. Because a mother whose welfare is guaranteed, she will give birth to children who grow and develop well to become superior human resources and the nation's next generation in the future, "explained the grandson of the Indonesian Proclaimer Bung Karno.

With the theme of the 29th National Family Day in 2022 'Let's Prevent Stunting So Families Are Stunting Free', Puan asked for public support for the MCH Bill which will soon be ratified as a DPR initiative bill. He ensured that the DPR together with the Government would accommodate the interests of all parties in the process of discussing the MCH Bill.

"This golden momentum needs to be a concern for all of us so that the stunting rate does not continue to increase. Children who grow and develop well are expected to be able to become the next generation of the nation who are capable, skilled, and have character," said Puan.