UNAIR NEWS – Stunting or malnutrition is still a serious problem in Indonesia. For this reason, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) continues to accelerate the reduction of the stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024.
One of the stunting reduction efforts carried out by the BKKBN is collaborating with universities. The East Java BKKBN visited Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) on Friday, January 7, 2022, to accelerate stunting reduction in East Java.
Dra. Maria Ernawati, MM, Head of BKKBN Representative for East Java Province, said that the meeting between the East Java BKKBN and UNAIR strengthened three things, the Thematic KKN on accelerating stunting reduction, UNAIR Citizenship Student Activity Unit (UKM), and research on accelerating stunting reduction.
“I hope from UNAIR research related to stunting reduction acceleration, we can get the results for formulating a model or strategy for accelerating stunting reduction in East Java,” said Erna.
In her presentation to UNAIR Rector and related officials, Erna said that the acceleration of stunting reduction also received support from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology through the Freedom of Learning Independent Campus (MBKM) scheme. Freedom of Learning implementation in the context of reducing stunting through the public lecture scheme, Citizenship Corner, course integration, thematic KKN(community service program), PKL (fieldwork practice), and internship programs. BKKBN also hoped that UNAIR Rector could become the Head of Consortium for the Acceleration of Stunting Reduction (PPS) Team in East Java.
Meanwhile, UNAIR Rector Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, SE., MT., Ak revealed that UNAIR is glad to work together to reduce stunting. It is a national and state problem. He said, with full support from BKKBN, UNAIR is ready to deploy students, lecturers, doctors, and health workers to disseminate and carry out other programs related to the acceleration of stunting reduction in East Java.
“We are all aware that stunting is closely related to poverty. The main problem is not only about health but also related to nutrition and other things. Extreme poverty and stunting are two things that cannot be separated,” said UNAIR Rector. (*)
Author: Binti Q. Masruroh
