Megawati Challenges BKKBN To Reduce National Stunting Rate To 0 Percent By 2036

The 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri during the PDIP I National Working Meeting in Jakarta, Friday, January 10, 2020. (Between - Aditya Pradana Putra)

JAKARTA - The 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia Megawati Soekarnoputri challenged the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) to reduce the stunting rate to 0 percent in 2036 or 13 years.

This was conveyed by Megawati at the Stunting Prevention Award event in Jakarta, Monday, July 17.

"Come on Pak Hasto (Hasto Wardoyo, Head of BKKBN). Now what is the percentage of stunting? 21.6 percent right. In 13 years can it be 0 percent? Come on, this is a challenge," said Megawati.

According to him, this was a directive from President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to achieve Indonesia's demographic bonus towards developed countries.

He asked all parties to work and work together so that the 0 percent stunting rate could be achieved.

The reason is, the progress of a nation can be realized through superior human resources. "Try to imagine. So when do we want to progress when? 13 years old, brothers and sisters," said Putri Proclaimer RI Soekarno.

The chairman of the Steering Committee of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) also touched on the BKKBN program to prevent stunting in the first 1,000 days of life (HPK).

He assessed that the program could be developed into the first 2,000 days. This is because monitoring children's growth and development so that stunting does not need to be considered in more detail.

"I calculated that if Mr. Hasto said it was from 1,000 days (HPK), if I had been 2,000 days. So what, I can see monitoring, oh this is a coyo opo boy," he explained.

Previously, in this event, Megawati received an award as an Inspirator and Driver to Prevent Stunting in Indonesia.

Apart from Megawati, there were a number of figures who received awards, namely the Chairman of the Indonesian Midwives Association (IBI) Emi Nurjasmi and the Mayor of Semarang Hevearita Gunaryanti Rahayu or Mbak Ita.