This showed that what is most important is how nutritious foods reach the mouths of pregnant women and babiesJakarta (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) stated that the Foster Fathers for Stunted Children (BAAS) Program had significantly supported the reduction in stunting cases in the country.
“Based on the experience of several regions, BAAS significantly reduced stunting cases. This showed that what is most important is how nutritious foods reach the mouths of pregnant women and babies,” BKKBN Head Hasto Wardoyo noted in his statement here on Thursday.
In an online roadshow with the coordinating minister for human development and culture titled “The Acceleration of Stunting Reduction and Extreme Poverty Alleviation in Districts” on Wednesday, Wardoyo stated that there was a significant decrease in stunting cases in South Sumatra.
Moreover, in 2022, seven districts and cities in West Java -- Subang District, Karawang District, Pangandaran District, Banjar District, Tasikmalaya City, Tasikmalaya District, and Kuningan District -- had experienced a significant decrease in stunting cases.
According to Wardoyo, these have showed that the BAAS can be optimized to correct the provision of nutrition to the targeted groups. The agency has also optimized several aspects, such as providing the Family Assistance Teams (TPK) with adequate number and equalizing fiscal capacity with the number of stunting cases in districts and cities.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy emphasized that the government is targeting to reduce the national stunting rate to 14 percent in 2024.
The target will not be achieved optimally without the role of regional governments since several stunting cases are found in regions, especially in villages.
To this end, Effendy urged regional governments, as the main actors, to focus on empowering the existing resources since it will affect the results nationally.
He also lauded all efforts made by districts and cities for stunting reduction, one of which is the role of foster parents that is implemented in several models.
“I suggested BKKBN make a massive regulation related to the Foster Parents for Stunting Prevention (Program) because it greatly contributes to stunting reduction,” the minister remarked.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma, Raka Adji
Editor: Sri Haryati
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