"Regional governments are expected to continuously carry out several programs and make strategic efforts to accelerate and optimize the stunting reduction targets," he said in a statement released here on Saturday.
The strategic efforts for stunting handling must be carried out in accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021 on stunting reduction acceleration, he stressed.
"In accordance with Presidential Decree Number 72 of 2021 concerning stunting reduction acceleration, holistic, integrative, and quality efforts through coordination and synergy between ministries/agencies, regional governments, and other stakeholders are needed," he said.
Effendy further said that to achieve the targets that have been set, regional governments will need to coordinate efforts to expedite stunting reduction down to the district/city, sub-district, and village levels.
"In addition, (regional governments will need to) ensure the strengthening of community health centers (puskesmas) and integrated health posts (posyandus) in supporting the stunting (reduction) program and ensure the availability of anthropometric and ultrasound devices," he added.
Regional governments will also need to ensure that the stunting reduction acceleration program is on target, the minister said.
"In accordance with Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021, the targeted groups include prospective brides, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and children aged zero to 59 months," he said.
The government is continuously making strategic efforts to accelerate stunting reduction, he added. Based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI), Indonesia's stunting prevalence is currently pegged at 21.6 percent, he noted.
"Meanwhile, the government is targeting the stunting prevalence to decline to be at 14 percent in 2024," he added.
He further said that cross-sectoral cooperation, starting from the central to village levels, is needed to support stunting reduction efforts.
"In a bid to realize a nation's future generation that is healthy, intelligent, and productive, as well as to achieve the sustainable development goals, stunting reduction acceleration must be made," he added.
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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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