The Deputy Minister Of Health Wants 5 Million Stunting Children To Be Escorted According To Their Life Cycle

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono when presenting the discussion material at the Forum Towards Stunting-Free Indonesia in Jakarta, Thursday (20/7/2023). (ANTARA/Hreeloita Dharma Shanti)

JAKARTA - Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono wants each related party to pay more attention to the five million stunting children in Indonesia by providing escorts whose management is adjusted to their life cycle.

"Currently our stunting is 21.6 percent (or there are as many as 5 million children). This means that one in four children is stunted, one in four children has an IQ of 11 percent lower and one in four Indonesian children in Indonesia's golden year has a lower income than other children," said Dante at the Stunting Free Indonesia Forum in Jakarta, reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 20.

Dante said strengthening interventions carried out by the government by implementing stunting prevention movements requires cross-sectoral involvement because the target of 14 percent in 2024 is not an easy thing to achieve.

The Ministry of Health itself throughout 2022, continues to encourage the implementation of various stunting control efforts for all people, especially through specific interventions related to the health of family members.

For example, forming a Nutrition Action program in schools targeting young women at the junior high or high school level, which includes screening activities for anemia, breakfast together and consumption of blood-added tablets (TTD) in the morning.

At least 6,420 schools have participated in this activity. However, in the field, it is still found that TTD is not consumed because of its bitter taste by the children or deliberately brought home, so it is hoped that the school can work together to supervise the students during the event.

Then the handling of pregnant women, in 2022 the ultrasound has been distributed to as many as 6,032 health centers, to support the examination of mothers' pregnancy (ANC) six times more optimally.

It is hoped that the use of ultrasound can be maximized to monitor fetal growth and development from the womb, as well as detect early the risk of maternal mortality whose mortality rate is known to occur most in hospitals due to late referrals.

"The fulfillment of the ultrasound at the puskesmas is a new program, with ultrasound at the puskesmas, we hope that women with high risk have been identified from the start, so that they can be born not at the puskesmas or in midwives but directly at the hospital," he said.

Dante said that during the examination, mothers will also take the class of pregnant women while given TTD and additional food if they lack chronic energy (KEK). The Ministry of Health has also distributed 5,628 Hb meters to health centers in 12 priority provinces for stunting management.

When entering the period of growth and development after birth, posyandu is reactivated by targeting toddlers, mothers and toddler families. Here, 61,256 posyandu have been given a new standardized anthropometric tool.

The ability of posyandu cadres is also continuously improved through various trainings. So, it is hoped that cadres can measure children's growth and development according to the results in the field concretely.

This includes educating families about the importance of providing animal protein such as eggs, fish and chicken meat in preventing children from stunting.

"This is a common problem that we must solve. Now there are five million stunting children, this must be handled from now on. Throughout Indonesia, so that we can realize the golden generation that we aspire to," he said.