Gowa Regency Government Strengthens MBG 3B to Accelerate Reduction in Stunting
Gowa Regency Government in South Sulawesi continues to strengthen the Free Nutritious Food Programme (MBG) for the 3B targets, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and non-PAUD toddlers, to support accelerated stunting reduction.
The Deputy Regent of Gowa, Darmawangsyah Muin, in Gowa on Friday said that the stunting issue is not merely a health issue but concerns the future of the region and the quality of the next generation of the nation.
‘By ensuring adequate nutrition for children today, we are ensuring that in several years’ time Gowa Regency has a quality human resource that will be the main strength of the region,’ he said.
As Chair of the Gowa Regency Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS), he stressed that stunting handling must be carried out concretely, reaching directly the communities in need.
According to him, the MBG programme is implemented in accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 115 of 2025, in particular Article 47, which stipulates that distribution is carried out by the Family Support Team (TPK).
He explained that Gowa Regency has a collaborative strength through the existence of TPK consisting of family planning cadres (kader KB), PKK cadres, and midwives in the field.
‘TPK is not only an administrative executor, but a family facilitator who understands the real conditions of the community down to the dusun (hamlet) and the surrounding environment,’ he said.
The Deputy Regent also asked all family planning field workers (penyuluh KB), heads of Technical Implementation Units (UPT), programme operators, and other stakeholders to ensure MBG 3B runs on target, on time, with the intended benefits, and delivers tangible impacts on improving the community’s nutrition status.
According to Darmawangsyah, the programme’s success is not measured solely by the amount of aid disbursed, but also by changes in the health status of mothers and children beneficiaries.
‘Our measure of success is not merely distribution figures, but how pregnant women receive adequate nutrition, lactating mothers have good nutritional resilience, and toddlers receive optimal nutrition to avoid stunting,’ he added.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Population Control and Family Planning Service (PPKB) of Gowa Regency, Sofyan Daud, said the Bangga Kencana meetings are routinely held each month as a forum to evaluate programme progress and to plan future steps.
According to Sofyan, such evaluations are important to ensure all programmes run effectively in supporting accelerated stunting reduction in Gowa.
‘Our stunting rate has begun to stand at 17 percent,’ Sofyan said.
Through the MBG 3B programme, the Gowa Regency Government hopes to strengthen efforts to create a healthy, intelligent, and stunting-free generation in Gowa.