The Central Java provincial government is intensifying a campaign to prevent stunting, a chronic malnutrition condition that disrupts child growth and development.
“We disseminate information on stunting reduction programs intensively in the regions, especially in districts and cities that fall into the poor red zone, because usually (the count of) stunting cases is also high in those regions,” Central Java Deputy Governor Taj Yasin Maimoen said here on Thursday.
He emphasized the importance of campaigns and counseling as an effort to prevent and tackle stunting.
“This is the best momentum because people sometimes forget to take care of their health, including their children’s health. We will disseminate information to them that stunting eradication is important for their health, offspring, and young generation in the future,” he affirmed.
Maimoen noted that the regional government conducted the stunting reduction campaign at campuses, schools, and Islamic boarding schools since students should be informed about stunting and the intake of blood-booster vitamins for female students.
The deputy governor stated that stunting is not only related to health problems and nutritional intake of toddlers in the one thousand days after birth but also related to health and environmental conditions.
Hence, the Central Java provincial government implements programs to improve environmental health, including the latrine program and rehabilitation of uninhabitable houses.
In addition, the regional government disseminates information on programs to prevent early marriages and child pregnancy as well as mobilizes each regional organization to foster one village.
Currently, the number of stunting cases in Central Java reached 540 thousand, or 20.9 percent. The region was included in the 12 priority areas by the central government for stunting reduction.
The Central Java provincial government is targeting a reduction in the number of stunting cases, from 20 percent to 14 percent in 2023.
To achieve this target, teams for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction (TPPS) were formed in 35 districts and cities, 576 sub-districts, and 8,562 villages in the Central Java region.
Source: Antara News