Semarang (August 29, 2022) – Reducing stunting prevalence to 14% by 2024 is one of Indonesia’s national programs. To support this initiative, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Health, provided research grants to 12 provincial research teams to analyze data from the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas) and the 2021 Indonesian Nutrition Status Survey (SSGI).
The Central Java Research Team consists of 12 lecturers and researchers from Diponegoro University (Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Public Health), Jenderal Soedirman University, Semarang Health Polytechnic, Magelang Health Research and Development Center (Balitbangkes), and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). The team is led by Dr. Martha Irene Kartasurya, MSc, PhD from the Master of Public Health Program at the Faculty of Public Health, Diponegoro University.
This dissemination event was conducted in a hybrid format, with an in-person meeting at Wimarion Hotel, Semarang, for participants from the city, and a virtual meeting via Zoom for attendees from districts across Central Java Province. The meeting was attended by representatives from regional development planning agencies (Bappeda), health offices, the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN/DP3AKB), agricultural offices, public works and housing offices (PUPR), social services, and village community empowerment agencies (Dispermades) from all districts in Central Java, along with leaders from academic institutions, totaling 120 participants.
The event began with a speech by Ms. Yuni Wahyuningtyas, SKM, MKes, representing the Head of the Central Java Provincial Health Office. She expressed her appreciation for the research initiative, emphasizing that it serves as a valuable platform for sharing information and refining intervention strategies that have been implemented. She also highlighted its potential to accelerate the reduction of stunting in Central Java.
Additionally, Mr. Ir. Agung Tejo Prabowo, MM, Acting Head of the Central Java Provincial Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), noted that the research findings and recommendations are expected to be incorporated into the Regional Long-Term Development Plan (RPJPD) 2025-2045 and the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) 2024-2026, which are currently being formulated. He also officially opened the event.
The research findings were presented by Dr. Martha Irene Kartasurya, MSc, PhD, the Head of the Central Java Research Team. She highlighted that maternal age, birth weight, and birth length are critical risk factors for stunting in children under two years old. Furthermore, at the district/city level in Central Java, the determinants of stunting reduction through specific interventions include:
- Coverage of maternal and toddler classes
- Coverage of complete basic immunization
- Coverage of vitamin A supplementation
- Coverage of supplementary feeding for pregnant women with chronic energy deficiency (KEK)
Meanwhile, the determinants of stunting reduction through sensitive interventions include:
- Coverage of poor families receiving the Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) program
- Coverage of villages implementing the Sustainable Food House Area (KRPL) program
- Coverage of families participating in the Toddler Family Development (BKB) program
Following the research presentation, members of the Central Java Research Team delivered a policy brief presentation covering five key topics:
- Enhancing the role of exclusive breastfeeding
- Integrating the maternal and toddler class program with the Toddler Family Development program
- Optimizing the Sustainable Food House Area program
- Optimizing the BPNT program
- Strengthening the 8 Convergence Actions for accelerating stunting reduction in Central Java
Through discussions, it is hoped that the stunting risk index can be practically applied, and the identified risk factors can be effectively addressed. This initiative marks a significant step toward preventing stunting in Central Java.