JAKARTA - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) stated that cases of stunting or failure to thrive in toddlers in Rejang Lebong Regency, Bengkulu Province, are currently still high at 26 percent.
"Stunting cases in Rejang Lebong Regency based on the Indonesia Nutrition Status Survey or SSGI 2021 reached 26 percent, this number is still relatively high," said Deputy for Family Welfare and Family Empowerment (KSPK) BKKBN Nopian Andusti during a working visit to Rejang Lebong Regency, Between, Tuesday, July 12.
He said the BKKBN is currently campaigning for stunting handling through the foster father program so that poor families who are at risk of stunting can be saved.
He hopes that the people of Rejang Lebong who are categorized as capable will be willing to become foster fathers so that children at risk of stunting, including pregnant women who are in disadvantaged families, are helped by meeting their nutritional needs.
"With this foster father program, we can help them meet their nutritional needs. That's why we urge the affluent people to take care of being a foster father for 6 months," explained Nopian Andusti, who once served as the Bengkulu Province Secretary.
He hopes that through the 6-month foster father program, he can provide nutritious food to pregnant women, nursing mothers and children under 2 years old.
"Anyone can become a foster father, from anywhere including journalists can become a foster father. Hopefully the existence of this foster father can suppress and reduce the stunting rate in Rejang Lebong Regency," he said.
Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of Rejang Lebong Regency, Yusran Fauzi, stated that the area had implemented this foster father program and in the future it would be further improved so that it could reduce the stunting rate.
"Stunting cases are based on data from 2021 and 26 percent. We hope that by 2024 the national target to decrease to 14 percent can be achieved, even if it is finished and no more children suffer from stunting," he explained.
He asked the community and all agencies in Rejang Lebong Regency to participate in reducing stunting rates because this is not an individual task or an agency task, but a joint duty and responsibility with the community.
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