According to Banggai Islands Regent Ihsan Basir, stunting cases in the Central Sulawesi’s regency in 2019 had been recorded at 22.6%. The figure increased to 23% in 2020 but then decreased to 21.54% in 2021. However, until mid year 2022, the stunting rate in the regency slightly increased to 21.87% in 2022.
Beside that, the regent said, the local administration has decided to focus on stunting intervention in 15 villages in six districts in 2021. In 2022, the local administration has set 25 villages in nine districts as stunting handling focus.
Meanwhile, the Jeneponto regency in South Sulawesi has been getting special attention for the stunting decreasing acceleration program, because the regency has recorded 37.9% or the highest scores in the province.
According to Indonesian Nutrition Status Study results (SSGI) in 2021, the stunting score in South Sulawesi has stood at 27.4% or above the approximately national average of 24.4% and Jeneponto has taken the highest level of stunting scores.
Obstacles overcoming stunting
The results of the monitoring in Lamandau regency, West Kalimantan, revealed that the handling of stunting in the regency stated that the number of stunting cases in early 2022 was 221 out of 1,461 children (15.1%). Of the 221 children, 72 were very short and 149 were short. Handling stunting requires money and a long time due to the lack of baby nutrition that has occurred since in the womb. Therefore, ongoing treatment is needed so that babies can grow normally.
“The Lamandau Health Service is only able to provide services within the scope of health, while the fulfillment of nutritional needs and other needs requires the participation of other regional apparatus organization (OPD). Therefore, the service has coordinated with other OPDs such as the Social Service, the Office for Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning, Bapedda, and the Food Security Service to participate in stunting management,” said one local civil servant.
Meanwhile, in Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara, the prevalence of stunting reached 17.18%, which decreased from 24.3%, but the figure is still considered high. This problem is triggered by the unpreparedness of parents in caring for their children. Meanwhile, in Murung Raya regency, Central Kalimantan, 306 stunting cases were detected with a prevalence of 34.19%.
The constraints faced by local administrations and the people include the lack of a healthy lifestyle due to smoking, lack of consumption of fruits and vitamins resulting in poor nutrition and a limited budget for stunting management programs.
