Stunting: A Serious Threat To The Nation’s Future, Government’s Role and Alternative Solutions

Abstract

This study discusses the Jember District Government's policy in dealing with stunting in 2024, focusing on the role of the government, the programs implemented, the social problems that cause stunting, and the role of Integrated Healthcare Center (Posyandu) in reducing stunting rates in pregnant women. This study uses a literature review consisting of Google Scholar article reviews and relevant news. The results show that the government plays a significant role in handling stunting through various programs such as supplementary feeding, nutrition education, and child growth monitoring. Based on the evaluation, there is a decrease in the stunting index in Jember Regency, although there are still several obstacles that cause stunting to remain rampant. Social issues such as lack of public awareness, limited access to health services, and poverty are the main factors that hinder the reduction of stunting. Policy implementation refers to Presidential Regulation No. 72 of 2021, which emphasizes the importance of cross-sectoral cooperation and empowerment of Integrated Healthcare Center (Posyandu). Integrated Healthcare Center (Posyandu) plays an important role in managing pregnant women through routine check-up programs, provision of nutritional supplements, and health education. The study found that despite progress, improvements are still needed in terms of inter-sectoral coordination, resource allocation, and active community participation. The study concludes that the Jember District Health Office policy has shown positive results in reducing stunting, but still needs improvement in several aspects of implementation. Recommendations are given to strengthen cross-sector coordination, increase the health budget, and expand the scope of nutrition education for the community to achieve more optimal results.