Animal proteins are crucial because they contain many essential nutrients that are needed by the body.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has asked regional governments to boost public education on the benefits of consuming animal proteins to prevent childhood stunting.

"Education on the benefits of animal proteins to prevent stunting must continue to be intensified," he said in a statement released here on Monday.

According to Effendy, the community needs to be reminded continuously that the main measure for stunting prevention and handling is the nutritional fulfillment of pregnant women and under-five children, especially through the consumption of animal proteins.

"Animal proteins are crucial because they contain many essential nutrients that are needed by the body. The various nutrients in animal proteins are very beneficial to support the growth and development of a child's brain," he said.

The minister also highlighted that the main point of stunting prevention and handling is ensuring that children's brains grow and develop well.

"The most dangerous condition of stunting is when the child's brain cannot grow and develop well," he said.

Therefore, regional governments are expected to boost education and carry out specific and sensitive interventions right on target, he added.

Specific interventions involve efforts made to handle the direct causes of stunting, while sensitive interventions cover efforts to tackle the indirect causes of stunting, he explained.

These interventions are regulated by Presidential Regulation Number 72 of 2021 regarding stunting reduction acceleration.

According to him, the government has continued to optimize stunting reduction programs, including by ensuring that the nutritional needs of pregnant women and under-five children are fulfilled.

Based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) 2022, Indonesia's stunting prevalence currently stands at 21.6 percent. The government is targeting to reduce stunting prevalence to 14 percent by 2024, Effendy noted.

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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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