The East Jakarta administration keeps suppressing the number of stunted toddlers, which currently reaches 778 cases. Meanwhile, the decline rate is only around 2.5 percent.

We need the role of all elements

East Jakarta Mayor, Muhammad Anwar asserted that in dealing with stunting, his party was trying to reach out to stakeholders to take an active role because the government could not solve this problem alone.

"We need the role of all elements, including academics, mass media, business actors, non-governmental organizations, and other development partners," he expressed, Wednesday (7/3), at the kick off of the PMT Toddler stunting program in Kramat Jati Urban Village.

The same statement also came from East Jakarta Health Sub-agency Head, Herwin Meifendy. He explained, the supplementary feeding program (PMT) is one of the efforts to accelerate the reduction in stunting rates.

"The provision of additional food has been determined by the regional hospitals (RSUDs) in East Jakarta, through a pediatrician," he explained, Thursday (7/4).

He added if in two to four weeks giving additional food does not affect the height and weight of a stunted toddler, it needs to be re-evaluated, whether there are allergies or absorption disorders. Yet, if there are changes for improvement, additional feeding is continued.

Through cross-sector synergy and CSR, it was expected that the additional food could help reduce stunting rates in East Jakarta.

He asserted his party would help monitor the calorie levels in the additional food menu given to stunted toddlers every day. It was because the ages of the toddlers were different yet the menus were also different.

"Giving this additional food is no sooner than three months and no later than six months," he concluded.