It's better to prevent than to treat. If you handle it, it will be more difficult. Hence, everyone must pay attention to stunting.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Raising awareness among families on ensuring that expectant mothers go through healthy pregnancies could help prevent childhood stunting, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has said.

"It's better to prevent than to treat. If you handle it, it will be more difficult. Hence, everyone must pay attention to stunting," BKKBN Head Hasto Wardoyo said in a broadcast here on Friday.

Greater stunting awareness must be built in the society about stunting because the condition puts children at risk of lower intelligence and less than optimal growth, which would make them unable to compete, he added.

Though stunting is an important problem, it is not an urgent one, Wardoyo said. This means that while parents' preparation to prevent stunting at birth is important, it is not urgent for those who are planning to have children but are not yet pregnant.

“Wanting to have children with no stunting condition is important. However, if you are not pregnant now, it is not urgent. Even so, we need to be prepared. If we are already pregnant and have children, and only then we only get prepared for the measures to prevent (stunting), then it is too late. So, don't be afraid, but take into heart that stunting is important (to pay attention to)," he said.

Families who are aware of the health of mothers and babies always feel concerned about the potential risks, he said. Prospective mothers must also be made aware of the importance of getting health examinations from a young age to monitor their medical condition.

He then urged all families to pay more attention to the issue. Although it's not something to fear, stunting can be detrimental to the development of Indonesia's human resources.

He asked families to start changing their mindset and understand that preventing stunting is better than treating it because there is a limit to getting treatment on time with optimal results.

“That should (be) brought up as a concern. So, don't just be excited about getting married, excited about pre-wedding, excited about getting pregnant, but don't think about your health during pregnancy," said Wardoyo.

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Translator: Hreeloita DS, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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