"We want to emphasize the government's full commitment to handling stunting," the ministry's deputy for coordination of family and population quality improvement, Woro Srihastuti Sulistyaningrum, said.
She made the remarks while sharing the initial findings of the Action Against Stunting Hub (AASH) study here on Thursday.
She informed that Indonesia is still facing serious challenges related to stunting, and in 2024, the country was not able to meet its stunting reduction target.
To achieve the target of reducing stunting to 18 percent in 2025, she said, it is necessary to prioritize a holistic and integrated approach that focuses on children aged 0–6 years, meaning, it must not just focus on the first 1,000 days of life but continue until the child is six years old.
Herqutanto, the director of SEAMEO Regional Center for Food and Nutrition (RECFON), said that the initial findings of the AASH study are essential and are expected to have a positive impact on stunting handling in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the deputy rector of the University of Indonesia (UI) for research and innovation, Hamdi Muluk, stressed that UI strongly supports SEAMEO RECFON's efforts to handle stunting.
AASH is an interdisciplinary study that aims to compile a stunting typology through a whole-child approach.
The study was conducted from 2019 to 2024 in three countries: India, Indonesia, and Senegal, with East Lombok as the selected location in Indonesia.
In Indonesia, the study was coordinated by SEAMEO RECFON – Regional Nutrition Center of UI.
Country lead of the AASH study in Indonesia, Umi Famida, said that the research is expected to provide scientific evidence as well as relevant information for policymakers to encourage stunting reduction acceleration and support the issuance of concrete and effective policies to tackle stunting.
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Translator: Indriani, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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