Central Jakarta Mayor Monitors Toddler Posyandu Services

Central Jakarta Mayor Dhany Sukma visited the toddler posyandu (health services post) at the Kartini Urban Village Office, Sawah Besar, to monitor its service, on Sunday (6/12).

According to him, the service was the focus of the stunting target group, which was not only dealing with nutrition issues, but co-morbidities for toddlers.

The approach to handling this disease must be with individual health services that have been referred to the RSCM and Harapan Kita Hospital in order to resolve their health status.

Posyandu in Semper Barat Receives Stunting Prevention Equipment

"Afterward, we will intervene with a balanced nutritional intake that has been recommended from the nutrition team at the health center," he stated.

He explained that the Central Jakarta Baznas Bazis was also involved to take part in the nutritional intake that has been prepared by the health center.

"Earlier, we had given nutritious food intake. They (Baznas Bazis) will inject Rp 5 million in cash next week which is entrusted to PKK cadres," he explained.

Kartini Urban Village Health Center Head Igusti Ayu Ariwaty added that the public's understanding of stunting is still deemed minimal. One of the indications is stunting is often interpreted as poor nutrition among ordinary people.

In fact, there are characteristics of children with poor nutrition that can be seen such as dry skin, reduced fat under the skin and shrinking muscles.

"If it has reached an advanced stage, there is a possibility that the child's stomach will become distended," she explained.

While the characteristics of children who experienced stunting had a slow growth pattern. It can be seen from the body that is shorter and looks younger than his/her friends' age.

"Bad nutrition is caused by lack of nutritional intake in a relatively short time than stunting. While stunting is caused by malnutrition in the long term," she stated.