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Access to water, sanitation and hygiene to save children from stunting
The prevalence of stunting should make us all wake up. We are all affected, not only our children.
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In crisis: Personnel of the Klaten Police distribute clean water for residents of Sidorejo village in Kemalang district, Klaten, Central Java, during the dry season last year. (JP/Ganug Nugroho Adi)
O
n July 23 the nation commemorates National Children’s Day. However, among the many children who might not be smiling are those suffering from malnutrition, particularly stunting.
According to the latest national health figures five years ago, stunting in infants aged 0 to 2 increased from 35.6 percent in 2010 to 37.2 percent in 2013. Among neighbors in Asia, these figures are higher than Vietnam (23 percent), Malaysia (17 percent), Thailand (16 percent) and Singapore (4 percent).
Children who suffer from stunted growth are likely to earn a lower income later in life than those whose growth is optimal. According to the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry, stunting can cause Rp 300 billion (US$21 million) in state losses annually.
What are the causes of stunting in our children? In a 2015 paper published inBMC Public Health journal, Harriett Torlesse and other experts pointed out that lack of access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities is a potential cause of stunting in Indonesia. The combination of unimproved latrines and untreated drinking water was associated with higher odds of stunting than those of children in households with improved conditions.
