The draft bill on maternal and children health regulates the central and regional government's obligation to ensure balanced nutritional intake for pregnant women, delivering mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and their childrenJakarta (ANTARA) - The draft bill on maternal and children health (KIA Bill) stipulated the state's obligation to ensure good nutritional intake for mothers and children, House Speaker Puan Maharani stated.
"The draft bill on maternal and children health regulates the central and regional government's obligation to ensure balanced nutritional intake for pregnant women, delivering mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and their children," Maharani noted in her statement here on Tuesday.
According to the house speaker, the draft bill did not only stipulate about extension of maternity leave for female workers -- which went up, from three to six months -- as well as the suggestion of leave for the father too but it also guaranteed maternal and children health, especially for those of the lower socio-economic class.
Thus, the state is obligated to improve the quality of their lives in order to achieve wellness, both internally and externally, she affirmed.
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"Every child has the right to live, grow, and develop (in the best way possible). Hence, through the draft bill on maternal and children health, we will ensure that the children get their rights, (as well as) moms, who are pregnant, delivering, and taking care of their children," she remarked.
Maharani said that in order to ensure optimal growth and development of children, a balanced nutritional intake, coupled with eligible living standards for their physical, mental, spiritual, and social development were deemed necessary.
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The draft bill regulated about the services, facilities, and infrastructures for mothers and children, particularly in terms of the nutritional aspects.
Moreover, the government should offer assistance to mothers and children, who were not that well-off to be able to have proper access to good nutritional intake.
"All along, there are medical services and free treatment from the government, one of which is through Medical Social Security (BPJS Kesehatan). However, it was not sufficient, as there was no guarantee on the supply of nutritious food and balanced intake for pregnant women, delivering mothers, breastfeeding mothers, as well as their children," she remarked.
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Assistance for mothers and children had been stipulated in Article 27 of the draft bill, which detailed that it came in the form of healthy food and balanced nutrition, supporting basic items, complementary breast milk, and additional food, she pointed out.
She also highlighted that the government was obligated to provide free health and medical services and provide children's equipment to the underprivileged.
Maharani expected that the draft bill would push the government to formulate plans, implement policies, and conduct the Maternal and Child Welfare Program.
Additionally, the government should allocate a budget for the implementation of the program, both in the state and regional budgets, including the nutrition intake program.
Article 27 of the draft bill stipulates that the central and regional governments must provide assistance to mothers and children that did not have the economic capability to meet basic needs.
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Translator: Imam Budilaksono, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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