Secretary of North Maluku Province BKKBN Ansar Djainahu said in a statement on Tuesday that the agency was currently monitoring Sula Islands District in North Maluku Province, with the capital city Sanana, which is located in the south part of the province and consists of 12 sub-districts, with an area of 13,732.7 square kilometers.
Data from the Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey (SSGI) in 2022 showed the prevalence rate of stunting in toddlers in the region had increased by 0.8 percent, or 28.5 percent, from the previous year's figure of 27.7 percent.
The difficulty to access the region was one of the reasons that caused a growing number of cases, he pointed out.
From Ternate, North Maluku, access to Sula Islands District is possible only through ships and planes. With a distance of 331 kilometers, the travel time can reach 15-16 hours if high sea waves occur, Djainahu said.
With its relatively difficult location, he believes that handling stunting requires special intervention. For instance, couples of childbearing age (PUS), who are about to marry, should receive education regarding reproductive health from health workers and be followed by pre-marital health checkups.
“The handling of the Stunting Reduction Acceleration Program must be right on target. Starting from prospective brides, pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and families with toddlers and children," he said.
The health service must also actively map out families at risk of stunting to be immediately handled, especially in the outermost areas, he added.
Meanwhile, Regional Secretary of Sula Islands District Muhlis Soamole emphasized the need for a strong commitment to reduce stunting prevalence, including in his area.
"Therefore, I ask all of us to work harder as the forefront in reducing stunting. Hopefully, in 2023, stunting in the Sula Islands can decrease significantly and produce a smart and healthy generation of Sula," he said.
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Translator: Hreeloita Dharma S, Resinta S
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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