The adoption of the pentahelix approach was necessary to handle the problem of childhood stunting in Indonesia, Head of the National Demography and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), Hasto Wardoyo, said in an online interview on Tuesday.

The pentahelix approach refers to the involvement of a number of elements starting from the government, the community, the business world, the media, and academicians, he added.

“The people also play an important role because people’s awareness and understanding is the primary key in the effort to prevent and handle stunting,” he explained.

Therefore, the agency will strengthen education and dissemination on the importance of stunting prevention among the public, he said.

“BKKBN will also continue to disseminate and invite all families to provide a balanced nutritional diet as one of the efforts to prevent stunting,” he added.

Balanced nutrition can be obtained from local ingredients, he highlighted.

“Prioritize local products, local ingredients to support the efforts to improve nutrition and prevent stunting,” he said.

The agency will also conduct strategic programs to improve the food intake of pregnant mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and infants using existing local foods.

Wardoyo also underlined the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of an infant’s life.

During the interview, he informed that the agency welcomes the six-month maternity leave provision in the Mother and Child Prosperity Bill (RUU KIA).

This is because the implementation of the regulation would support the effort to reduce the prevalence of stunting.

With the six-month maternity leave, mothers who have just given birth can focus on recovering and exclusively breastfeeding infants.

Hence, the agency will raise awareness on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding in order to support the six-month maternity leave provision in RUU KIA.

Source: Antara News