"Health cadres at Posyandu tend to lack communication skills where it should start with an approach, giving compliments, and no judgment. We need training materials for communication skills," the ministry's Directorate of Maternal and Child Nutrition, M. Fauzi, stated in a discussion on Wednesday.
Fauzi remarked that health workers at Posyandu often had poor communication skills that excluded mothers and children diagnosed with certain diseases.
This phenomenon could cause the mothers' refusal to bring along their children to Posyandu for growth and development monitoring, he pointed out.
Moreover, such a phenomenon can lead to unidentified stunting cases, making it an iceberg phenomenon, as data on the field is different from actual facts, he pointed out.
"In fact, people who have health problems rarely come to Posyandu. This could lead to an iceberg phenomenon. Stunting cases on the reports are different from the actual data," Fauzi remarked.
Hence, he realized that cooperation from several sectors, including the private sector, is deemed necessary to create a healthy, productive, independent, and just society. He also commended parties implementing programs that could raise awareness among people regarding healthy living behavior, especially on maternal and child health.
Programs, such as timely and complete immunization, hand washing with soap, and good nutrition are expected to increase positive behavior that can synergize with government programs, he stated.
In addition, monitoring after the program is needed to ensure the program's sustainability, he remarked.
On the occasion, Fauzi lauded Unilever, the Gavi vaccine alliance, and The Power of Nutrition for creating a pilot project to fulfill immunization coverage, meet nutrition requirements, and hand washing with the soaps movement as three focuses to reduce stunting in Indonesia.
"We are working together with the private sector to support the movement. It is included in the SIGAP's Family collaboration to improve our health sector, which needs to be prepared for a healthy Indonesia in 2045," he stated.
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Translator: Fitra Ashari, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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