South Sulawesi Deputy Governor Calls for Convergent Stunting Management

South Sulawesi Deputy Governor Fatmawati Rusdi has emphasised that stunting management must be carried out convergently by involving all regional apparatus, district and city governments, the business sector, social institutions, and community organisations. In a statement in Makassar on Sunday, Fatmawati Rusdi said education regarding parenting, sanitation, and health remains a crucial part of stunting prevention efforts. However, for children already experiencing stunting, nutritional fulfilment intervention is a need that cannot be postponed. “If there is no nutritional intake, it will be difficult to lift a child out of stunting. Education continues, but the child’s basic needs must also be met,” she said. She stressed that stunting is a multidimensional issue not only related to nutrition but also influenced by sanitation, environmental health, parenting patterns, and the family’s socio-economic conditions. She also proposed that the Foster Parents Movement to Prevent Stunting be strengthened by involving more Regional Apparatus Organisations, the National Amil Zakat Agency, companies through corporate social responsibility programmes, non-governmental organisations, and social communities. According to her, experience in government, including in Makassar City, shows that cross-sector collaboration can expand the reach of assistance for families at risk of stunting if all parties move together. “The stunting problem cannot be solved by a single institution. Mutual cooperation and shared concern are needed so that interventions truly reach the families in need,” she said. Based on the 2024 Indonesian Nutritional Status Survey, South Sulawesi’s stunting prevalence was recorded at 23.3 per cent, down from 27.4 per cent in 2023. However, this figure remains above the national average of 19.8 per cent.