Invite Heru Budi To Save Jakarta's Stunting Rate To 5 Percent, Minister Of Health: We Give A Award To Mr. President

Photo of Diah Ayu Wardani/VOI

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin visited the DKI Jakarta City Hall to meet the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta, Heru Budi Hartono, to discuss accelerating the reduction in stunting rates in the capital city.

Stunting is a serious problem for President Joko Widodo. Jokowi also targets the stunting rate in Indonesia to drop to 14 percent by 2024. As of 2022, the national average stunting rate is at 21 percent.

Kepad Heru, Budi Gunadi asked the DKI Provincial Government to reduce stunting in Jakarta at a figure that is less than Jokowi's target, which is 5 percent, such as conditions in other developed countries.

"I came to Mr. Gub. (The stunting rate) of developed countries is below 5 (percent) because DKI is now 16 (percent). Let's give gifts to the President. Earlier, we discussed how we can give examples of one province in Indonesia, which is the same as the developed country. stunting level, and Mr. Governor committed," said Budi at DKI Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, February 1.

Budi said the first step taken by the government to effectively reduce stunting in Jakarta was to match the data on pregnant women and babies by name by address belonging to the Ministry of Health, the DKI Provincial Government, and the National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN).

"We have agreed, number one tidy up the data. So the data must be the same by name by address between data from the Ministry of Health, Governor's data, and BKKBN data. We have agreed that it will be equalized within a week," said Budi.

After the data is matched, the Ministry of Health and the DKI Provincial Government will determine priority programs to intervene in reducing stunting targeting groups of pregnant women and babies.

"We focus on two groups, pregnant women because of the highest risk before giving birth, and a group of babies 6-24 months because there they need additional food outside of breast milk whose needs are specific," he explained.

Agreeing on this, Heru admitted that he would immediately order his staff to combine data by name by address which will be sent by the Ministry of Health and BKKBN. Then, the ranks of the DKI Provincial Government will go to the field to carry out the stunting reduction intervention program

"I ordered all of our ranks to enter the field, to go to the posyandu for example. Then, every Wednesday, the 7th grade junior high school student had a meal together by adding vitamins," said Heru.

"There are several points directed by the Minister, including pregnant women, including after giving birth for several months. We from the DKI Regional Government have agreed to carry it out," he continued.