Kupastuntas.co, Bandar Lampung - The number of toddlers or children under five years of age experiencing stunting in 2023 in Lampung Province is recorded at 20,878 children. While the total number of toddlers in Lampung is currently 530,564 children.

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 infrastructure. So there are specific interventions, there are areas that have made improvements but earlier in the infrastructure. So it cannot be separated from cooperation between districts and cities," he explained.

Previously it was reported, the West Lampung Regency Government (Lambar) through Bappeda noted that as many as 1,058 toddlers were stunted.

Head of Bappeda of Lambar Regency, Agustanto Basmar said that as many as 1,058 toddlers experienced stunting spread across a number of villages (village) in 15 sub-districts. He hopes that there will be community participation to reduce stunting rates.

"The problem of stunting cannot be solved instantly, there needs to be a strategic program for prevention involving local governments, related agencies and all levels of society," said Agustanto, last Thursday (27/7).

He said one of the obstacles in suppressing the stunting rate was the area of West Lampung which has 131 villages and 5 sub-districts.

According to Agus, parents have an important role in preventing stunting. So that parents must receive special attention in order to overcome stunting.

"What needs to be known about stunting is not only about the unbalanced height and age of toddlers. But it is more about the development of toddler intelligence. So this is not just an individual problem but all levels of society," he said.

Agustanto explained, the Lambar Regency Government had prepared a budget of Rp. 15 billion for stunting handling which was allocated to a number of OPD (Regional Apparatus Organizations).

In detail, the Health Service is Rp. 11 billion more, the Bappeda is Rp. 21 million, the Fisheries Service is Rp. 174 million, the Food Security Service is Rp. 122 million, the Plantation and Livestock Service is Rp. 383 million, and the P2KBP3A Service is Rp. 160 million.

Furthermore, the Environmental Service received more than Rp. 1.7 billion, the Community and Pekon Empowerment Service Rp. 92 million more, the PUPR Service Rp. 750 million and the Social Service Rp. 527 million more.

Member of Commission II DPRD Lambar Regency, Heri Gunawan, encouraged the West Lampung Regency Government to continue to improve the program for handling and preventing stunting at Bumi Beguai Jejama Sai Betik.

"Related agencies such as the Health Service and P2KBP3A already have a stunting alleviation program in the 2023 APBD, and for 2024 we will push it from the start in the KUA-PPAS discussion. We will first look at the actual data, and the criteria for stunting people to be allocated in the 2024 APBD," he explained. (*)

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