PONTIANAK – Governor of West Kalimantan, Sutarmidji, has an audience with act the head of West Kalimantan BKKBN (National Family Planning Coordinating Agency), Muslimat with his entourage, discussed the handling of stunting in West Kalimantan, at the West Kalimantan Governor’s Office, Jl. Ahmad Yani Pontianak, Wednesday (2/3/2022).
Sutarmidji said the stunting rate in West Kalimantan was 20%. Meanwhile, for 2024, the national stunting rate can be reduced to 14%.
“In my opinion, reducing the stunting rate to 14% is a difficult thing. However, neither did (West Kalimantan) become a contributor to the failure of the state or national to suppress the figure at 14%. If it can’t be 14%, it’s at least 20% down,” said Sutarmidji in an interview.
Weaknesses in reducing tuning rates in West Kalimantan are seen from the parameters. Sutarmidji emphasized to all regencies/cities in West Kalimantan to provide validated data.
“If the data are messy, the result will be messy too. When there is a clear measurement parameter, it will not match other data. In fact, government activities relate one data to another,” said Sutarmidji.
He added, 75% of the main indicators of stunting were related to poverty.
“So, it’s irrelevant if an area has a low poverty rate, but a high stunting rate,” he added.
Meanwhile, act the head of West Kalimantan BKKBN delivered an audience with Sutarmidji to ask for directions regarding the implementation of activities to reduce stunting in West Kalimantan.
“On March 12, 2022, it will be held nationally in 12 provinces, including in West Kalimantan. Sutarmidji will be present and open the event. By inviting all Regents/Mayors at the Mercure Hotel Pontianak,” said Muslimat.
In addition, he also conveyed Sutarmidji’s direction regarding concrete steps for the BKKBN to collaborate with Untan Pontianak, Faculty of Medicine.
“We have mobilized a number of 12,900 TPK (Family Assistance Workers) spread across 2,031 villages in West Kalimantan, the Governor also asked us to collaborate with Village Assistance Workers who have carried out activities in various villages,” explained Muslimat.