PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - The Garut District Government (Pemdakab) remains optimistic about targeting stunting prevalence below 14% in 2024, in line with the national target, even though the stunting rate in Garut Regency will increase from 23.6% to 24.1% in 2023 based on the Health Survey Indonesia (SKI).

Head of the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda) of Garut Regency, Didit Fajar Putradi, expressed this commitment in the Performance Assessment event for the Implementation of 8 Convergence Actions to Reduce Stunting in districts/cities of West Java Province in 2024, which was held in the Garut Regency Bappeda Hall, Wednesday (29/5/ 2024).

"In 2023 with 24.1%, this is of course our reference for increasing collaboration between all stakeholders, as well as dividing roles to accelerate the reduction of stunting in Garut Regency. We are targeting the prevalence of stunting to remain below 14% in 2024 in accordance with the national target," he said .

He explained that health policies related to stunting in the development planning for the 2019-2024 Regional Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMD), with the vision of Garut being pious, advanced and prosperous, are reflected in the mission to realize the quality of life of a religious, healthy, intelligent and empowered community.

Didit also revealed that in 2023, the basic capital for implementing stunting convergence will be the formation of the Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS) on April 25 2024, followed by the preparation of the TPPS second semester report and a review of 8 convergence actions.

Stunting, continued Didit, is the third priority in the 2023 Regional Work Plan (RKPD) and is also in the fifth policy direction, namely strengthening the reduction in stunting prevalence.

Didit emphasized that the 8 stunting convergence actions became standard guidelines for the Garut Regional Government, which gave birth to commitments and policies to achieve the targets that had been set.