Jakarta (ANTARA) - The strengthening of the Golden Pride Program cannot stop despite the nation currently focusing on handling stunting in children, National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Head Hasto Wardoyo stated.

In a written statement on Thursday, Wardoyo remarked that the agency's main focus was quality family development that was closely related to balanced population growth control.

To this end, the population control and birth control functions of the agency cannot be neglected.

Wardoyo stressed that no side should lower down its guard when it comes to stunting handling following a decline in contraception service in the first pre-semester of 2021 as well as the first pre-semester of 2022.

The decline occurs to around two percent despite the fact that the current situation of COVID-19 pandemic handling is better than that in the previous years.

Hence, Wardoyo will continue to bring up the issue of stunting and to work on expanding the contraception service, which was apparent from the budget.

The BKKBN continues to improve stunting handling through the provision of contraception device services to the people. These contraception devices include implants, IUDs, and pills, he stated.

The government has determined stunting as a national priority issue, he highlighted.

Related news: Premature births posing challenge to stunting reduction efforts: BKKBN

This commitment is realized with the inclusion of stunting handling in the 2020-2024 Medium-Term National Development Program (RPJMN), with a significant reduction in target, from 27.67 percent in 2019 to 14 percent in 2024.

Through the opportunity, BKKBN also inaugurated structural and functional officials comprising 19 people.

Wardoyo expects the inauguration to revamp BKKBN's organizational wheel and bolster performance.

They are also expected to have a positive impact on the organization, he added.

Related news: Ministries join hands in fight against stunting

Translator: Hreeloita D S, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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