"When the TNI has intervened, usually solving problems becomes easier. This includes accelerating stunting reduction," Head of West Java BKKBN Wahidin noted in a statement received here Monday.
Wahidin remarked that the village superintendent (babinsa) was considered to be knowledgeable. Based on this, people tend to approach Babinsa for information on everything, including stunting. Hence, Babinsa is one of the sources of information for acceleration of stunting reduction in collaboration with the BKKBN family assistance team.
Wahidin expressed gratitude and high appreciation for the work of TNI at various levels in the program to accelerate the reduction in stunting in West Java.
According to the West Java BKKBN head, the TNI leadership's willingness for village advisors to become foster fathers of stunted children is new energy in the efforts to accelerate reduction in the prevalence of stunting to 14 percent in 2024.
With regard to BAAS, he stated that the initiation was started in the middle of the year, marked by the publication of BAAS guidelines that were then followed up with the issuance of a circular letter from the Head of BKKBN Number 560.a/HL.01.01/G2/2022, June 7, 2022, concerning requests to encourage partners to become a BAAS.
In the same month, the agreement for collaboration for the West Java BAAS Program was signed between BKKBN and the National Alms Agency (Baznas). BAAS is believed to have a bigger impact after Chief of Staff of the Indonesian Army (KSAD) General Dudung Abdurachman was chosen as the BAAS ambassador at the commemoration of National Family Day in Yogyakarta on June 29, 2022.
Meanwhile, Wahidin noted that the stunting prevalence rate in West Java, based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), is 24.5 percent.
Moreover, the prevalence based on the West Java Province Community-Based Nutrition Recording and Reporting online, or e-PPBGM, which is based on the August 2022 Toddler Weighing Month, was recorded at 5.91 percent, or as many as 184,022 toddlers. The SSGI 2022 results are expected to not be far from the 2022 e-PPBGM records.
In addition, BKKBN's Deputy for Family Planning and Reproductive Health Eni Gustina lauded West Java Province, which she considered to have made several innovations in accelerating stunting reduction such as, through the West Java Zero New Stunting Program, online discussion, and initiating the 2022 West Java Stunting Summit.
Gustina was also surprised that the BAAS program received a warm welcome from various elements, thereby demonstrating that the Indonesian people constitute a caring and generous nation.
"I really appreciate the help from TNI ranks, including their commander to babinsa. They truly support us to accelerate stunting reduction. We did a roadshow to 10 provinces, and it turned out to be amazing. All regions are very supportive," she stated.
Gustina noted that stunting cannot be separated from the main duties and functions of the BKKBN. This occurs because the mentoring process, starting from the prospective bride and groom to childbirth, will be directly related to family planning services.
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Translator: M Ali Khumaini, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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