Arumi Bachsin Is Restless, Descends To Probolinggo To Make Sure Toddlers Check Into Posyandu

East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak with his wife Arumi Bachsin (personal Instagram)

PROBOLINGGO - Chairman of the PKK East Java Activating Team, Arumi Bachsin, checked the decline in the attendance rate of children under five to posyandu in Probolinggo Regency, East Java. The cause of the decline in checking toddlers at posyandu is due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The attendance rate of children under five to posyandu in Probolinggo Regency before the COVID-19 pandemic was 87 percent or 75,737 children out of 86,225 toddlers.

The wife of the Deputy Governor of East Java, Emil Dardak, monitors the activities of the toddler posyandu in the yard of one of the Posyandu Anggrek cadres, Jumiati in Gentengan Hamlet, Sumurdalam Village, Besuk District, Probolinggo Regency.

"If the toddler does not come to the posyandu this month, an examination must be carried out, namely measuring the height and weight of the toddler's height at the toddler's house," said Arumi to the Posyandu cadres in Probolinggo as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 24.

According to him, the participation of parents is needed not to miss months of weighing in serving and monitoring the health development of children under five, so that the posyandu is a community effort in monitoring the growth and development of children.

"The lack of nutrition in children under five will increase the risk of stunting, which will affect physical growth, mental development and intelligence, and the risk of death," he said.

The wife of East Java Deputy Governor Emil Dardak, Arumi Bachsin in Probolinggo

Meanwhile, Deputy Regent of Probolinggo Timbul Prihanjoko said the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could be felt by all lines, including the level of community presence carrying out the posyandu.

"The attendance rate at the Toddler Posyandu has decreased to 76.37 percent and the prevalence of stunting reaches 16.37 percent in 2019 and in 2020 to 16.14 percent, so it has decreased by 0.23 percent," he said.

In Besuk District, he continued, the attendance rate of the posyandu for toddlers in 2019 reached 86.64 percent and in 2020 it increased to 87.01 percent.

This indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic situation does not affect the attendance rate of children under five for social assistance, but the prevalence of stunting has increased from 20.8 percent in 2019 to 22.19 percent in 2020, which means that the prevalence of stunting has increased by 2.11 percent.

In Sumurdalam Village, he continued, the attendance rate of the posyandu for toddlers in 2019 was 76.2 percent and in 2020 the attendance at the posyandu for toddlers reached 71.4 percent.

This means that the attendance rate at posyandu under five has decreased by 4.8 percent in 2020, then the prevalence of stunting has also increased by 6.17 percent from 2019 of 6.25 percent to 12.42 percent in 2020.