Health Office: High Cases of Stunts in Gunungkidul Caused by Anemia

Provide nutritious food to the elderly in Gunungkidul. (ANTARA/HO-Humas Gunungkidul Regency Government)

GUNUNGKIDUL - The Health Office of Gunungkidul Regency, Special Region of Yogyakarta, said that the high incidence of stunting in this area is due to anemia among adolescents and insufficient nutritional intake during pregnancy.

Head of the Gunungkidul Health Service, Dewi Irawaty, said that from the central government's data on stunting cases through a nutrition survey, the stunting rate in Gunungkidul in 2021 will reach 20 per cent, and in 2022 it will reach 23 per cent.

"The cause of high stunting in Gunungkidul is anemia, but the indirect cause of anemia among adolescents is economic factors. How is their nutritional intake, including sanitation. Also behaviour, how is their diet, thus affecting anemia", said Dewi Irawaty, reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, February 1.

He said the Gunungkidul Health Office had routinely intervened. However, cases of stunting are not handled by the Health Office alone. The handling of stunting must have coordination at the sectoral level so that the encouragement of all parties is needed.

"All parties and across OPD must be involved in handling cases of stunting", he said.

Meanwhile, DIY Regional Police Chief, Inspector General Suwondo Nainggolan said that today, the DIY Regional Police together with Korem 072/Pamungkas distributed nutritious food assistance to 4,568 targets to overcome the problem of stunting in Gunungkidul Regency.

Suwondo said the assistance was related to directives from the centre. Especially to reduce stunting.

"Gunungkidul is the first location in DIY in alleviating stunting problems. This is because the stunting rate is quite high. This area has difficult geographical conditions.

"In the first stage, his party distributed 4,568 packages of prepared food in the form of eggs, green beans and vitamins. The plan is to assist twice a week", he said.

Meanwhile, the Danrem 072/Pamungkas Brigadier General Puji Cahyono hopes that stimulant assistance like this can encourage regional governments to aggressively reduce stunting. This effort also requires community support.

"Later the children can grow up healthy and can be the successors of all of us", said Puji.