This push is part of the government's measures to accelerate the handling of childhood stunting in the country.
"The achievement is still around 50 percent, while there are only nine days left," Effendy said after attending a coordination meeting on stunting reduction acceleration here on Friday.
According to the Ministry of Health, not all posyandu units have anthropometric equipment.
To address this issue, Effendy called for coordination and collaboration between the units currently possessing equipment and those lacking it.
He explained that the schedule for conducting measurements differed across posyandu units. Therefore, the anthropometric equipment can be used alternately.
The minister emphasized that the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) was tasked with conducting on-field body measurement and weighing activities.
However, he also sought help from all stakeholders, including the National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI).
"The TNI and Polri have agreed to assist posyandu in remote areas," he remarked.
He also urged the BKKBN, the Ministry of Health, and regional governments to coordinate with one another to provide accurate data about posyandu that have not carried out simultaneous body measurements and interventions.
Director General of Public Health at the Ministry of Health Maria Endang Sumiwi explained that simultaneous body measurements in all posyandu units, totaling 301,000, target prospective brides, pregnant women, and under-five children.
"The nutritional status is measured so that we get information on the nutritional status of the target, which is the key to reducing stunting in Indonesia," she stated.
She underlined that for June 2024, the government is pursuing the target of 100 percent coverage for pregnant women, prospective brides, and under-five children.
Stunting reduction is a priority program of the Indonesian government, which is seeking to bring down stunting prevalence to 14 percent by 2024.
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Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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