Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - Deputy Governor (Wagub) of Lampung, Chusnunia Chalim claims that there are only six areas in Lampung where the prevalence of stunting has increased.

"There were six districts that went up yesterday, but in general Lampung has succeeded in reducing and suppressing the stunting rate. But there are six districts that have become 'homework'. Some have gone down but slightly, and some have gone up," Chusnunia said in response to the continuing 20,878 toddlers in Lampung were stunted when met at the Lampung Governor's office, Monday (7/8/23).

Chusnunia revealed, for areas where the stunting prevalence rate has increased, urgent treatment is needed, namely North Lampung, East Lampung, Pesawaran, Tanggamus, West Lampung and Mesuji Regencies.

"Such as North Lampung, East Lampung, Pesawaran and the numbers that still need to be corrected are large in Tanggamus. We need cross-sectoral coordination, so there can't be just one. That's why we had a joint meeting with districts/cities yesterday," he said.

Chusnunia explained that the budget for stunting was spread across several regional apparatus organizations (OPD), such as the Bappeda, the Social Service, the Health Service, the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Service and the Housing and Settlement Area Office.

"Look forward to discussing the Revised APBD. We hope that the convergence action intervention for stunting will be included in the 2023 and 2024 Revised APBD policies in the pure APBD. Because we carry out any kind of program if it is not included in the budget policy, it will be difficult," he explained.

He explained that there are several things that must be done to reduce stunting rates, such as handling Open Defecation Free (ODF) or stopping open defecation which is still often found today.

"ODF is very important. Then one of the other factors is the problem of nutrition, not only the type of food but also the quality of the presentation, for example, it is not clean. Indeed, the awareness-keeping movement for cleanliness is also important to be voiced through germas," he said.

According to him, all OPDs have their respective roles to reduce stunting rates. Like the Department of Housing and Settlement Areas handling sanitation. The Office of Social Affairs collects data on the number of new families who are less prosperous.

"The Social Service mainly deals with young couples and new families who have toddlers but don't have the ability to get nutrition. So we need to advocate for receiving assistance from both the central government such as the PKH program and the provincial and district governments," he added.

Previously it was reported, the number of toddlers or children under five years of age experiencing stunting in 2023 in Lampung Province was recorded at 20,878 people.

Based on an investigation by the Directorate General for Regional Development at the Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) on Sunday (6/8), the number of toddlers in Lampung Province in 2023 is 530,564 children. While toddlers who experienced a total of 20,878 children. Toddlers experiencing stunting are divided into two categories, namely short stunting of 15,816 toddlers and very short stunting of 5,062 toddlers.

Toddlers experiencing stunting are spread across 15 regencies/cities throughout Lampung Province. The most stunted toddlers were in Mesuji Regency with a total of 1,448 people, and the least were in Pesisir Barat Regency with 42 stunted toddlers (complete see table).

The number of stunted toddlers in Lampung Province in 2023 has decreased by 2,672 children compared to the previous year. As a comparison, in 2022 toddlers experiencing stunting in Lampung total as many as 23,550 children, in details there are 18,609 short stunted toddlers and 4,941 very short stunted toddlers.

Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Lampung Province, Mulyadi Irsan said, the stunting convergence assessment carried out by the central government was the seriousness and focus carried out by the local government.

"So what the central government assesses is the seriousness and focus of the regions in dealing with stunting. That is what is being targeted and appreciated," said Mulyadi, Sunday (6/8).

Mulyadi revealed that currently the prevalence of stunting in Indonesia is at 22 percent. Meanwhile, the stunting prevalence rate in Lampung Province is at 15.3 percent.

"For the center, the stunting rate is still 22 percent, while Lampung is already 15.3 percent and the President's target is 14 percent in 2024. But Lampung has entered a little more. Stunting can increase if it's not maintained, so everything is by design," he explained.

According to Mulyadi, there are quite a number of stunting indicators, including the existence of adequate infrastructure. So that good cooperation between local governments is needed.

"There are many indicators for areas that have increased, such as from infrastructure. So there are specific interventions, there are areas that have implemented them It's an improvement, but that was in the infrastructure. So it cannot be separated from cooperation between regencies and cities," he explained. (*)

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