Female police officers from the West Papua Regional Police distributed nutritional supplements, including vitamins and biscuits, to 71 toddlers in Katebu Village, Manokwari Regency, as part of efforts to address stunting. Deputy Chief of the West Papua Regional Police, Brigadier General Sulastiana, said tackling stunting requires involvement from all sectors, particularly in ensuring adequate nutrition and healthcare from an early age. The program, titled Polwan Peduli Stunting, was held to commemorate the 78th anniversary of Indonesia’s Women Police and to support efforts to accelerate the reduction of stunting. Policewomen also provided parents with education on balanced nutrition and encouraged the revival of parent sponsorship programs to help meet children’s nutritional and healthcare needs.
Head of the West Papua Health Office, Alwan Rimosan, explained that children aged six months to under one year are advised to receive eight biscuits per day, while those aged one year and above are recommended to receive 12. He stressed that nutritious supplementary food should be accompanied by breastfeeding according to each child’s needs to support healthy growth and development. Parents were encouraged to provide breast milk regularly as an important source of nutrition during early childhood. Alwan emphasized that preventing stunting should begin before growth problems emerge through consistent attention to children’s health and nutritional needs.
The prevalence of stunting in West Papua currently stands at 24.6 percent, with the provincial government targeting a reduction to 14.6 percent by 2029 under its 2025–2029 Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD). Intervention programs are being implemented across seven regencies: Manokwari, South Manokwari, Teluk Bintuni, Arfak Mountains, Kaimana, Teluk Wondama, and Fakfak. The programs focus on accelerating reductions in stunting through nutritional and health interventions. The provincial government continues to coordinate these efforts across the targeted areas.
Head of Public Relations at the West Papua Regional Police, Police Commissioner Trihadi Kuncahyo, said the police, through its female officers, remain committed to supporting efforts to combat stunting. The anniversary program also serves as an opportunity to strengthen attention to child health through nutritional support, routine health checks, breastfeeding, and appropriate parenting practices. He emphasized that sustained progress requires cooperation between local governments, the Indonesian Military and Police, healthcare workers, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), community health volunteers, and families.
Alexander Jason- Redaksi
