Press Stunting Prevalence, Lebak Regency Government Involves Many Parties From Government

Photo Illustration: Antara

LEBAK - The Regency Government (Pemkab) of Lebak accompanies children under five years old (balita) both those affected by risk and positive stunting or stunting by involving various parties. "We involve stunting assistance from various regional government agencies, TNI, Polri, volunteers, communities, religious leaders, and traditional leaders," said Head of the Lebak Regency DP2KBP3A Division, Tuti Nurasiah, quoting Antara, Wednesday, March 22. Lebak Regency also implemented various programs to accelerate the reduction in stunting prevalence rates, including providing food assistance to toddlers and pregnant women who experience a Kronic Energy Shortage (KEK), then providing blood added vitamins for young women, recording brides, and carrying out health checks for children and pregnant women. In addition, it was also carried out to be screened for stunting cases starting studies, case identification, and sampling, to find out stunting problems in the field, thus obtaining valid data on the causes of stunting. According to him, one of the causes of stunting potential in Lebak Regency is due to occupying uninhabitable houses, not having clean water and latrine sanitation, as well as low income. Therefore, it optimizes assistance with local government agencies through Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD). For example, he said, the condition of houses is uninhabitable and does not have latrines and clean water, then the OPD involved is the Department of Settlement and the PUPR Service. As for food, economic and health availability, involve the Social Services, Agriculture Service, Livestock Security Service, Fisheries Service, Cooperative Service, Cooperative Service and SMEs, Disnaker, to the local Health Service.

In addition, the TNI and Polri were also involved as foster parents to accompany toddlers who were positive for stunting.

"We are working together to accelerate the reduction in stunting prevalence," he said. He appreciated the decrease in stunting prevalence rates in this area, which in 2018 reached 9,108 cases and decreased to 4,168 cases in 2021. "We believe that stunting prevalence cases decreased by 14 percent until 2024, because all those involved went well, even at the sub-district level there were foster parents," said Tuti.