Minister: Anaemia Screening and Education Key to Building Superior Generation

Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Arifah Fauzi, has endorsed the implementation of screening and early detection of anaemia in pregnant women and toddlers, accompanied by regular nutritional education, to prevent health disorders that can affect child growth and development. “Preparing a superior generation is not only done through improving the quality of education, but also by ensuring health and nutritional fulfilment from the beginning of life,” said Minister PPPA Arifah Fauzi during an anaemia prevention screening and education activity for a healthy generation, part of the 2026 National Children’s Day commemoration in Jakarta, Sunday. She stressed that fulfilling children’s rights to health must start from the womb as the foundation for building a healthy, intelligent, and high-quality Indonesian generation. According to her, anaemia in pregnant women and children can hinder child growth and development and impact the quality of Indonesia’s human resources in the future. Therefore, comprehensive intervention is needed from an early stage through health screening, nutritional education for mothers and families, balanced nutrition learning for early childhood, and the creation of a healthy and child-friendly environment to support optimal child development. “For the Ministry of PPPA, fulfilling children’s rights begins even before a child is born. A child still in the womb has the right to optimal protection, health, and nutrition,” said Minister Arifatul Choiri Fauzi. Thus, efforts to maintain the health of pregnant women, ensure nutritional adequacy, and conduct early detection of various risk factors, including anaemia, are an important part of protecting children from the beginning of their lives. According to her, these efforts are in line with the Child-Friendly City (KLA) policy and Law Number 4 of 2024 concerning Mother and Child Welfare in the First 1,000 Days of Life, which serves as the government’s foundation in strengthening the fulfilment of maternal and child health rights.