Worrying Condition, Nine Million Children Underweight Undernourished

INDUSTRY.co.id - Jakarta - The government will hold a "Summit Stunting" as an effort to reinforce the commitment in overcoming problems related to malnutrition in infants that lasts longer and will have an impact on brain development.

"The event will be held on March 26-28, followed by governors, regents and mayors, which will also be opened by President Joko Widodo," said the technical implementer of the Forum on Cross-Faith and Religion to Prevent Stunting, Hudallah in Jakarta, Friday 23/3/2018).

The activities to be held in Jakarta are organized by the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

Stunting in Indonesia is still quite high, reaching 37 percent or about nine million children under stunting under Riskesdas 2013 data.

Hudallah said, stunting becomes a common problem that must be dealt with immediately because it will impact on multi-sector.

At the individual level, stunting affects the inhibition of brain and physical development, susceptible to disease, when adults are easy to suffer from obesity and therefore susceptible to diseases including non-communicable diseases and high-achieving sickness so that individual competitiveness is low.

At the community and country level, stunting impedes economic growth, increases poverty and morbidity so that state burdens rise, social imbalances and reduced competitiveness with other countries.

Moreover, Indonesia will face demographic bonus in 2030, which could be an advantage or even a time bomb if the current toddler who will grow as the next generation experience stunting.

According to him, in some ministries and institutions have a budget to deal with the problem but it needs a strong commitment to overcome it.

"There must be a 'commander' who moves all sectors in handling stunting," Hudallah said.