Coordinating Minister For Human Development And Culture Hopes Each Puskesmas Has Standard Equipment For Stunting Reduction

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy. (Dok Kemenko PMK)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture (Kemenko PMK) conveyed the importance of innovation in accelerating the reduction in stunting cases due to chronic malnutrition so that children's growth is disrupted to tengkes.

PMK Coordinating Minister Muhadjir Effendy said the innovations that had been carried out included the provision of ultrasound equipment at the puskesmas and measuring instruments to monitor baby growth in posyandu.

"It is hoped that more and more puskesmas and posyandu will have the completeness of standard tools to support efforts to accelerate the reduction in stunting prevalence," he said in a written statement, Sunday, January 22, quoted from Antara.

Muhadjir also conveyed the need for the deployment of trained cadres to monitor the fulfillment of nutritional needs and child growth and development in order to prevent stunting.

"Then it also needs to be strengthened again by sensitive and specific interventions in each region," he said.

He said the government continues to strive to accelerate the decline in stunting and extreme poverty reduction cases.

"To support this program, the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture is exploring various problems in the regions through coordination with regional heads in a number of areas in the country through virtual, or the Online Roadshow to Accelerate Stunting Reduction and Elimination of Extreme Poverty," he said.

According to Muhadjir, local governments play an important role in efforts to accelerate the reduction in the number of stunting and extreme poverty reduction cases.

"The handling of stunting and extreme poverty will not be carried out properly without the main role of local governments," he said.

The government targets the number of stunting cases, which during 2022 is still around 24 percent, to decrease to 14 percent by 2024.