Stunting a Threat to Indonesia's Demographic Bonus: Expert

TheIndonesia.id - A nutrition expert has reminded that stunting poses a national-scale threat, and it might even harm Indonesia’s demographic bonus which is predicted to reach its peak in 2045.

Razak Thaha, a professor at the Faculty of Public, Hasanuddin University, said since Indonesia’s stunting prevalence continue to be relatively high, it might become a threat to the demographic bonus, or a condition in which the productive age population is larger than the non-productive population.

The Ministry of Health previously revealed that stunting prevalence in Indonesia in 2021 is 24.4 percent, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), public health is considered poor if country’s stunting prevalence is above 20 percent. Therefore, national malnutrition issue in Indonesia is currently categorized as chronic.

And if it’s not immediately resolved, Indonesia’s demographic bonus is at risk.

“For that matter, national program to accelerate stunting prevalence reduction must be collectively enforced,” Thaha said on Wednesday, March 16, as reported by Antara.

According to Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), stunting prevalence in Indonesia in 2013 was 37.20 percent, and in 2018, it improved to 30.80 percent. The prevalence further declined in 2019 to 27.70 percent.

The National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) has launched national action plans to accelerate stunting reduction in Indonesia, and the state agency has been working with and educating local leaders to ensure the plans are well-implemented in the smallest social units within their respective region.

The effort is expected to speed up the process, so malnutrition in the country can be reduced, and Indonesia can fully enjoy its demographic bonus.