The Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA), Arifah Fauzi, emphasized that the quality of Indonesia's future human resources heavily depends on fulfilling health rights from an early age. The main focus is currently directed toward anemia screening and nutrition education for pregnant women and toddlers as a crucial step to support the optimization of child growth and development from the womb.
Based on data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey (SKI), the prevalence rate of anemia remains a serious challenge, reaching 27.7 percent among pregnant women and 23.08 percent among toddlers. In response to this situation, Arifah stressed that anemia prevention is a strategic investment to realize the 2045 Golden Generation. This aligns with the mandate of Law Number 4 of 2024 concerning the Welfare of Mothers and Children during the first one thousand days of life phase.
The government is now strengthening cross-sector collaboration, including involving the Indonesian Midwives Association (IBI) and the private sector to expand the reach of health services. Chairperson of the Central Board of IBI, Ade Jubaedah, explained that midwives across all regions have been instructed to conduct routine health screenings prior to providing immunization services to ensure early detection of health risks for both mothers and children.
In addition to medical interventions, education on balanced nutrition serves as an important pillar so that the public develops a collective awareness in preventing iron deficiency anemia. This health promotion step is expected to reduce morbidity rates and ensure Indonesian children grow up with optimal cognitive abilities, free from health obstacles that could affect their quality of life in the future.
