Campaign for the Reduction of Stunting

The stunting rate decreased from 24.4 percent to 21.6 percent in 2022. However, stunting is an issue that is far from resolved.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

A child aged 3 years and 11 months with stunting was measured for his height and weight in RW 09 Cakung Barat Subdistrict, Cakung District, East Jakarta on Saturday (8/4/2023).

This decline illustrates that the government’s efforts, including President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s special attention to the issue, are bearing fruit. Indonesia’s regional leaders have also made various efforts to reduce the prevalence of stunting.

However, although the number of stunted children is decreasing, the problem itself is far from over. President Jokowi aims to lower the stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a stunting rate of more than 20 percent indicates a chronic public health condition in the country concerned.

Also read:

> Beware of Stunting in Urban Areas

> An Irony in the Urban Scene

Kompas’ thematic report on Monday (10/4/2023) explored several cases of stunting in urban areas. Several cities actually showed an increase in the number of stunting cases between 2021 and 2022. This report showed that the causes of stunting are very complex.

We support efforts to reduce the number of stunted children. With one in five children up to the age of two experiencing growth failure due to accumulated nutritional deficiencies, the burden for Indonesia’s future is indeed very heavy. It is estimated that stunting resulted in the loss of 2-3 percent of gross domestic product or around Rp 500 trillion due to unproductive workforce and financial burdens for health reasons.

KOMPAS/SEKAR GANDHAWANGI

Nurjanah carries her 15-month-old child to check her height and weight at her home, West Cakung Village, Cakung District, East Jakarta, Saturday (8/4/2023). His son was diagnosed with "stunting" or tengkes, as well as tuberculosis (TB).

Various studies in Indonesia have also shown that the causes of stunting are not straightforward. At the individual and household level, significant causes include variations in children’s diets, frequency of infections, birth weight and the sex of children. Moreover, there is also a mother’s knowledge, family income and gender relations. At the community level, this encompasses the availability of clean water, waste management and latrines to prevent pregnant women and children from being infected and reinfected by intestinal worms. At the government level, the reduction of the stunting rate relies on appropriate interventions that are adapted to the characteristics of each region, which can vary even between districts (Kompas, 17/10/2022).

Also read:

> ‘Sebar Cinta Jakarta’ Tackles Stunting

One factor that is often overlooked when addressing stunting is the influence of gender. A study by Tri Muyaningsih et al, in the 19 November 2021 edition of the PLOS ONE journal, found that boys are more prone to stunting. This is because there is an assumption that boys need more energy so parents are more likely to give them food earlier and reduce exclusive breastfeeding. It is clear that these gender relations, including the common practice that girls and mothers lose out on daily bread, must be changed.

There must be a national campaign aimed at reducing the rate of stunting. We have had success previously with the Family Planning (KB) campaign, the first direct and open election as well as the prevention of Covid-19 transmissions. Now, we need a campaign that simply explains stunting, its impacts and prevention measures for the community and regional administrations. This is because for most people, stunting is not an easy concept to understand.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.