“There are two areas that already have a stunting prevalence of below 14 percent, namely Bengkulu city with 12.9 percent and Kaur district with 12.4 percent," Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah informed Vice President Amin at the Rukun Posyandu in Bengkulu on Thursday.
Bengkulu Mayor Helmi Hasan and Bengkulu Deputy Mayor Dedy Wahyudi, who is the head of the Bengkulu City Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS), were also present at the posyandu during Amin’s visit.
"We have also involved the National Alms Agency (Baznas) to provide additional food, namely soy milk. Then, we are also providing shredded shark fish meat as animal protein to children suspected of stunting, while for vegetable proteins, we are providing processed moringa leaves," Wahyudi informed.
He said that other programs implemented to reduce stunting prevalence in Bengkulu have included Stunting Foster Fathers (BAAS) and Uninhabitable Houses (RTLH).
In addition, the head of the community health center (puskesmas) in Lingkar Barat, Bengkulu, Tita Rovika, said that the Rukun Posyandu is providing other services, such as conducting examinations of pregnant women and taking height and weight measurements of children ranging from newborns to toddlers.
“We are also providing counseling with a different theme every month. Currently, we are socializing exclusive breastfeeding for six months. We are also providing immunizations," she added.
She said that the posyandu is also providing special services for elderly residents, including blood pressure checks.
During his visit, the Vice President also inquired about the involvement of the private sector in stunting eradication efforts in Bengkulu. Wahyudi informed that the private sector is helping with the provision of additional food for the posyandu.
According to Wahyudi, in Bengkulu province, five districts have recorded increased stunting prevalence—Kepahiang, South Bengkulu, North Bengkulu, Mukomuko, and Kaur. Meanwhile, five regencies/cities have experienced a decline in stunting, namely, Seluma, Central Bengkulu, Rejang Lebong, Lebong, and Bengkulu city, he added.
Stunting is a chronic nutritional problem caused by insufficient nutritional intake over a long period of time. It generally develops due to food intake that does not meet nutritional needs. Stunting can occur from the time of pregnancy and can only be detected when a child is two years old.
The stunting rate in Indonesia fell from 37 percent in 2014 to 21.6 percent in 2022. President Joko Widodo is targeting to bring down the stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024.
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Translator: Desca Lidya N, Resinta S
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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