"To create a superior generation for Golden Indonesia 2045, no one should be stunted. In this case, the target for 2024 will be 14 percent. Likewise, no one should go hungry, and the high maternal and infant mortality rates are a collective target," BKKBN head Hasto Wardoyo said at the "IDIK Webinar: Communication on Caring for the Nation,” which was accessed from here on Wednesday.
The national stunting prevalence has decreased since 2013, when it was recorded at 37.2 percent. The figure dropped from 30.8 percent in 2018 to 27.7 percent in 2019.
In 2021, the figure fell further to 24.4 percent based on data from SSGI for 2021. However, the decline is still far from the government's target.
He emphasized that the issue is an urgent matter, because it is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) standards, which state that a stunting rate on a scale of 20–30 percent is still in the high category.
The rate needs to be suppressed all the way below 10 percent in order for it to be considered low category. President Joko Widodo also stated that the quality of human resources is improved for a better life for the nation.
Stunting puts brain development at risk, with its long-term effects in the form of mental retardation, low cognitive abilities, and chance of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.
For the younger generation, to seize the demographic bonus opportunity, they have to improve their ability at schools through equitable access to education, by getting a job which fits their expertise, and being in a happy marriage, he said.
Another requirement is having children who are both physically and mentally healthy, and ensuring they have a safe and proper place to live so that they can live their old age independently.
“Together with (stakeholders) for demand creation, changing this behavior is very important. The targets are families of pregnant women, nursing mothers, and teenagers," he elaborated.
As stated in Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021, the agency has a significant role in making people feel the need to plan their pregnancies carefully in order to avoid stunting, he added.
Another measure is to intervene even before pregnancy occurs by encouraging brides and mothers-to-be to undergo a medical check-up before getting married and giving blood tablets to young women at school.
It is also pursuing improvement for family facilitators (TPK) who do monitoring in practice.
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Translator: Hreeloita D S, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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