"Give your baby breast milk until it is 24 months of age," Wardoyo stated at the commemoration of the 30th National Family Day (Harganas) for North Sulawesi Province here on Monday.
The agency head remarked that stunting tends to cause short babies, though short babies are not always caused by stunting.
Hence, he invited people in the province, with a population of over 2.6 million, to pay attention to environmental sanitation to keep it clean and healthy.
"Stunting causes children to often fall sick and that slows their growth," he pointed out.
"Let the midwives carry out measurements and weigh properly all children under five years and children under two years," he further remarked.
Meanwhile, regarding budget absorption, he urged related parties to ensure optimal budget absorption for providing additional food for children and families that are at risk of stunting.
He also expressed optimism that people in the province would create peaceful, independent, and happy families.
"Let us create a peaceful, independent, and happy family. Programs to improve family welfare must be successful," he stated.
Wardoyo remarked that having many children was not an issue as long as the birth spacing could be maintained properly.
"Let us work together to build a family," he said.
Wardoyo highlighted that in 2024, the government is targeting a stunting prevalence rate of 14 percent.
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Translator: Karel Alexander Polakitan, Katriana
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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