Health Minister Ready to Support BGN's Four Steps, Here's the Strategy

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has expressed strong support for the National Nutrition Agency’s (BGN) four new measures to reorganise the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. “I fully support and appreciate the steps taken by the new BGN leadership,” Budi Gunadi Sadikin said during a meeting with BGN Head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang and her two deputies, Agustina Arumsari and Major General Trenggono, at the Ministry of Health in Kuningan, Jakarta, on Tuesday. During the approximately one-hour meeting, Nanik outlined four steps the BGN leadership would take to reorganise and present a new face for the agency in executing the MBG programme. These steps include refocusing beneficiaries, a moratorium on new kitchen construction, overhauling operational kitchens, and drafting a new scheme for MBG implementation in frontier, outermost, and disadvantaged (3T) regions. “For the refocusing of beneficiaries, we need the support of the Health Ministry. This is because the future target of MBG beneficiaries is the 3B group — pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers — which falls under the ministry’s domain,” Nanik stated. Beyond synergistic concepts, data, and programme details, the Health Minister offered child health and nutrition experts from the ministry to back up the BGN in these efforts. “Please choose whoever you need; we will provide the best. It is your decision, ma’am,” Minister Budi offered. The meeting proceeded in a warm and cordial atmosphere. Nanik noted that the BGN leadership now operates on a collective and collegial basis, and she would not make decisions without the agreement of her two deputies. The Health Minister welcomed the appointments, remarking that Nanik was very fortunate to have an experienced financial auditor like Agustina Arumsari on her team.