"We need an ultrasound, weighing devices, or measuring devices to detect height and body length. How much is that? How much is the Health Ministry's budget? I think their budget is really big; they can buy it all this year," he said.
He made the remarks while opening the “National Working Meeting of the Bangga Kencana Program (Family Development, Population, and Family Planning) and Stunting Reduction” in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He said that the Ministry of Health must provide these tools at each posyandu as an effort to prevent stunting in children and detection the condition early.
"How much does a scale cost? I think it is really cheap and the ministry can buy it for posyandus throughout Indonesia. It is necessary to measure our child's length and height," he added.
In addition, he observed that Sadikin, who was once a banker, should be really good at budget calculations.
"Minister Sadikin should be smarter than me. Most importantly, the ministry must complete the purchase this year," he said.
He further said that the government is targeting to bring down the national stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024. Through cooperation between related ministries, non-ministerial government agencies (K/L), and local governments, this target can be achieved.
"We must achieve the 14 percent target. After observation on the field, it is not a difficult target. As long as we keep our consolidation and avoid mistakes, we can achieve it," he remarked.
Regarding the provision of measuring devices, the ministry is aiming to deliver 313,737 anthropometric devices to 303,416 posyandus in Indonesia by 2024.
According to data from the Ministry of Health, 25,177 community health centers (puskesmas) had anthropometry tools in 2019, and in 2020, at least 1,823 posyandus were equipped with physical measurement devices.
Meanwhile, 16,936 posyandus had anthropometric equipment in 2021 and their number swelled to 34,256 in 2022.
Based on the measurements made using the devices, children under five who show indications of stunting can be referred to a first-level health facility for further examination.
Related news: Stunting not only about low height for age: Jokowi
Related news: Number of stunting cases dropped to 21.6 percent in 2022
Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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