The implementation is not as easy as it seems
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) evaluates the integrated stunting reduction acceleration (PPS) program based on border, coastal, and food insecure (P2R) areas.

"We want to evaluate and learn the overview of the PPS implementation in the P2R areas," BKKBN's program officer for PPS, Dr. dr. Lucy Widasari, noted in an official statement on Tuesday.

The activity will evaluate three provinces representing coastal areas (North Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara), border (Sambas District, West Kalimantan), and food insecure (Rokan Hulu District, Riau), for the June-July 2023 period, she revealed.

Apart from obtaining information regarding the program's implementation, the evaluation will also provide feedback and recommendations for efforts to reduce stunting in the P2R area, Widasari stated.

She noted that regional participants or respondents comprised members of the Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS) at the district level, sub-district TPPS, village TPPS, and Family Assistance Team (TPK). The report on evaluation results will be issued in November 2023.

"The expected result is an overview of programs and activities that have been implemented optimally to continue running and also formulating the best solutions to existing problems," she remarked.

Meanwhile, BKKBN's Director of Family Development for Toddlers and Children, Dr. Irma Ardiana, stated that this activity could provide good inputs due to several limitations in the PPS implementation.

"This evaluation is needed to help the central government in understanding the condition in the P2R area. The implementation is not as easy as it seems," Ardiana remarked.

According to Ardiana, the implementation of PPS in the P2R area faces several challenges, with the main challenge being formulating key messages in the stunting reduction program.

"For example, regarding the campaign, how do we use the social ecology model in formulating key messages, starting from the individual level, family level, community, organization, and also from the government level," she remarked.

Ardiana expressed optimism that for the BKKBN programs, collaboration would be forged with other ministries and institutions, such as for holding healthy kitchen activities to overcome stunting combined with the provision of Supplementary Food (PMT) from the Ministry of Health.

"It is hoped that the recommendations from monitoring and evaluation can be used as a basis for determining future strategies, and the importance of involvement from related sectors, such as academics," she emphasized.

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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti P, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Sri Haryati
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