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Prevalence of stunting remains high, biomedical approach not enough
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Growing up: A 1,000 Hari volunteer explains the features of a height chart to a mother in Rinca, on the fringes of Komodo National Park in East Nusa Tenggara. The province has a high stunting prevalence of 43 percent. (Gumilang Aryo Sahadewo/-)
T
he high prevalence of stunting in Indonesia has driven the government, in collaboration with the Australian government and Nutrition International, to launch a joint program focusing on the distribution of micronutrients in East Java and East Nusa Tenggara.
Experts, however, say this biomedical approach is insufficient.
Due to the still high prevalence of anemia, the government has created a project called BISA that will be first applied in April 2020 in West Java and East Nusa Tenggara.
The program will reinforce the distribution of iron supplements among teenage girls in schools that will increase red blood cell counts.
"In 2019, the number of people with the risk of stunting in Indonesia was still considered high at 27.7 percent. Meanwhile, East Nusa Tenggara was still the province with the highest number of stunting at 42.6 percent last year, which means four out of 10 children in the province have a high risk of stunting. Also East Java with 32.8 percent, which means three to four out of 10 kids have the potential for stunting," said Kirana Pritasari, the director general of public health at the Health Ministry.
According to her, the high average number of stunting in those two provinces was the reason for the micronutrients pilot program applied in 20 cities in both provinces since 2016.
The micronutrients distribution program, which was initiated by the Australian government, the Canadian government and Nutrient International, contributed to the vast distribution of iron supplement tablets to prevent anemia among women and Vitamin C and Vitamin A for toddlers.
