Successfully Adding Toddler Bobot, Ganjar Pranowo Asks For Other Regions Examples Of The Red Kancing Program

The Red Kancing program has succeeded in adding weight to the toddler. (IST)

CILACAP - About 80 percent of toddlers out of a total of 4,494 toddlers who are at risk of stunting in Cilacap Regency have succeeded in gaining weight. This success was due to the stunting prevention program called Kancing Merah which was launched by Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo some time ago.

Red Kancing is an acronym for the Stunting Prevention Movement of a Bright Future. The program initiated by the Cilacap Regency Government received praise from Ganjar Pranowo during a coordination meeting on the handling of poverty acceleration, in Cilacap, some time ago.

Not only giving praise, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo also asked other regions in Central Java that do not yet have a stunting prevention application to imitate the application used in Cilacap Regency. "Others may still not have an application that can accommodate it. Just have Cilacap borrowed. The regent has also been sincere," said Ganjar Pranowo at the time.

PJ Cilacap Regent Yunita Dyah Suminar said the Red Kancing program was a joint effort to reduce stunting from an early age. This program is proven to show encouraging results.

"From the first two weeks yesterday, the average of more than 80 percent of the scales rose. But indeed for height increases, because only yesterday, it was still below 50 percent. 38 percent," Yunita said in Cilacap, Friday, February 17.

He remains optimistic that the height of toddlers will increase over time. If the child's height does not increase, or the weight does not increase, then there is a possibility that there is something to pay attention to. Is it due to the illness factor, or is it also caused by the handling of parents who have not been maximal.

He said the Red Kancing program started with cooking training with the right nutritional value. The hope is that the PKK cadres who take part in the cooking training will be able to provide food for children who are at risk of stunting. PKK cadres are taught how to cook delicious food and have an attractive form so that children treat them to eat.

The movement was continued with simultaneous balancing (pentak). From this activity, it was found that there were 4,494 stunting risk babies and 2,354 pregnant women lacked chronic energy (KEK), in 24 sub-districts from 269 villages and 15 sub-districts.

His party also provides additional food (PMT) and every two weeks an evaluation is carried out by regional coaches (which are handled by all OPD heads) to monitor the development of stunting risk toddlers. The PMT budget for stunting risk toddlers, SEZ pregnant women and the administration of blood-added tablets comes from village funds, ADD in 2023 and CSR.

In order to make stunting prevention monitoring easier and faster, it is supported by web-based applications that can be accessed by health officials and regional stakeholders. In it, there is data by name by address and location points for toddlers with the risk of stunting per village.

"Actually, all regencies/cities can do this together. It's just a matter of how we all are committed, and indeed in this program there is an application. So that everything is recorded and routinely monitored. Because if it's not monitored, it's gone," he said, who is also the Head of the Central Java Health Office.

Head of the Cilacap Health Office, Dr. Pramesti Griana Dewi, added that prior to the Red Kancing program, stunting management had already been carried out. This includes PMT activities, but they are still limited to certain groups, so they are not massive to all toddlers in the district.

"As for the activities carried out, it is massive for all toddlers who are included in the potential for stunting as many as 4,494 toddlers. The time has been determined by the regent for 90 days," said Pramesti in Cilacap.

A resident of Tritih Kulon, North Cilacap District, Retno said, the Red Kancing program is very useful, just like PMT. Because now his son is ready to eat food.

"Menunya bagus, ada gambar karakternya. Jadi lapap makannya. Awalnya tiga bulan berturut-turut, sulit naik (weightnya). Alhamudulilah sudah naik kemarin waktu dipimbangkan. Ada kenaikan 6 ounces. Dari 10,3 kg sekarang 10,9 kg," kata perempuan 35 tahun ini.

The same thing was conveyed by a resident of one village, Mita. This 31-year-old woman is very grateful for the PMT program for her child. Because now her child is getting more and more fond of eating so that her child's weight increases.

"My son also started to want to eat. He also started to weigh a little bit. At first it was only 9.8 kilograms. Now it's 10.5 kilograms. The menu is very good. There are vegetables, fruit, there are milk, there are side dishes such as chicken, eggs, chicken liver. Good for children. Previously it was difficult to eat," he said.

The success of the Red Kancing program has made Governor Ganjar Pranowo ask other regions to imitate and realize so that stunting can be prevented.