"Supplementary food made from local ingredients is crucial to preventing stunting," said Maria Endang Sumiwi, the ministry's Director General of Public Health, stated at the program launch event here on Wednesday.
She explained that the PMT program is part of the government's efforts to reduce stunting and wasting. Stunting is currently at 21.6 percent, and wasting is at 7.7 percent.
Stunting is a growth disorder caused by chronic nutritional deficiencies that result in shorter height growth for children compared to the normal average.
Meanwhile, wasting is a condition among children where their weight decreases over time, falling far below the standard growth curve.
Sumiwi stated that the stunting prevalence rate was successfully reduced by 2.8 percent in 2022. However, the wasting prevalence rate increased by 0.6 percent during that period.
"Therefore, we have changed the strategy of the PMT program to focus on children who are experiencing wasting and are not gaining weight," she remarked.
She said that by directing the PMT program to focus on children who are experiencing wasting, stunting cases can also be prevented.
Sumiwi further stated that the launch of the PMT program aims to encourage the participation of various parties at the district and city levels in efforts to reduce stunting by improving the nutritional fulfillment of mothers and toddlers.
"We hope that the launch of this program will serve as a momentum for accelerating the improvement of the nutritional needs of mothers and toddlers," she remarked.
The government is optimistic that the target to reduce stunting prevalence to 14 percent by 2024 will be achieved.
According to the Indonesia Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI), the stunting rate in 2022 experienced a 2.8 percent decline compared to the figure in 2021.
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Translator: Sean M, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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