PASURUAN, EAST JAVA – Through its Free Health Service (Layanan Kesehatan Cuma-Cuma – LKC) in East Java, Dompet Dhuafa presented the impact of its program to combat stunting, which has been running successfully. This presentation was made during the Public Expose of the SIMCETING Program at Ascent Premiere Pasuruan, East Java, on Thursday (19/10/2023). This program is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) collaboration initiative initiated by PT Petrogas Jatim Utama Cendana (PJUC) with Dompet Dhuafa.
The focus of the SIMCETING Program is to improve access to healthcare for families, especially pregnant women, addressing both health issues (such as anemia, chronic energy deficiency (KEK), and hypertension) and preventive care for those in good health, to avert stunting from an early stage.
Conducted from July to October, the program involved 60 pregnant women and 24 midwives who benefited from the SIMCETING Program. SIMCETING, an acronym for “Sehatkan Ibu Hamil Cegah Stunting” (Healthy Pregnant Women Prevent Stunting), embodies the care for pregnant women. It also focuses on synergizing care for pregnant women during the first 1000 days of life through focused and integrated intervention models.
Baca juga: Cegah Stunting, Dompet Dhuafa dan PT Petrogas Jatim Utama Cendana Gulirkan Program SIMCETING
Sri Sudarti, the Sub-Coordinator of Family Health and Public Nutrition at the Pasuruan District Health Office, appreciated this initiative as an effort to break the chain of stunting in pregnant women.
“This activity is something we’ve been eagerly anticipating. Investing in this generation is a primary concern. The 60 pregnant women assisted by Dompet Dhuafa and PJUC are set to give birth to quality children. Additionally, Dompet Dhuafa provides knowledge and assistance to 24 midwives in Baujeng Village and its surroundings. Thank you to the midwives for their enhanced service,” said Sri Sudarti.
The SIMCETING Program includes education by village midwives for pregnant women as early as possible, organizing classes, nutrition posts, home visits, and cooking demos with balanced nutrition for six days, aimed at transforming knowledge, awareness, and habits.
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Dr. Yeni Purnamasari, GM of Health at Dompet Dhuafa, revealed that assessment data showed 20 out of 30 pregnant women experienced chronic energy deficiency, and 15 out of 30 had anemia.
The next phase of SIMCETING involves capacity building for healthcare workers and training in food security models to teach home-scale vegetable gardening and chicken farming. The food source is derived from organic waste, utilized as a sustainable food source.
Communal chicken coops and vegetable gardens are expected to support the activities of the Pregnant Women Nutrition Post and Classes. Active participants in the Nutrition Post activities will be rewarded with three local chickens and vegetable seedlings, with their families preparing the coop in advance.
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“15 out of 30 pregnant women were detected with anemia; we strengthened interventions to reduce anemia, including the administration of Fe tablets. Iron supplementation can improve nutritional status. So, after implementing this Iron Tablet Supervised Consumption, the results were quite good,” explained Dr. Yeni.
After three months, the SIMCETING Program showed significant results. Twelve pregnant women improved their nutritional status, and all those with anemia improved, with their anemic status decreasing.
“Data after intervention with nutrition posts showed 12 pregnant women with significant results, indicating improved nutritional status. This is quite good; previously, there were 15 women with anemia, now all are non-anemic, marking the success of the program,” added Dr. Yeni.
Dompet Dhuafa has a vision in health, initiating movements involving various parties to realize public health. Ahmad Faqih Syarafaddin, GM of ZIS Collection at Dompet Dhuafa, stated that the issue of stunting is a collective concern. Through the SIMCETING Program, hopefully it makes a long-term investment, contributing to the success of Indonesia’s Golden Vision in 2024.
“We are grateful for the trust given by PJUC and for making Dompet Dhuafa a bridge to the benefit recipients. Discussing stunting is about a long-term investment in nutrition, so the impact and results of this year’s cooperation will be visible in the next 20-25 years. We hope to roll out more impactful and substantial programs in the future, benefiting more recipients of the collaboration between Dompet Dhuafa and PT Petrogas Jatim Utama Cendana,” said Faqih.
Meanwhile, the CEO of PT Petrogas Jatim Utama Cendana also appreciated the ongoing two-year collaboration with Dompet Dhuaga.
“Our collaboration with Dompet Dhuafa has been very good. Dompet Dhuafa has provided clear, measurable, and accountable monitoring reports on this program. We are very satisfied with this partnership.”
“This program is crucial for preventing stunting in pregnant women, a critical point, as children must be born healthy and free from stunting. Early assistance to pregnant women helps in planning for the healthy birth of their children. The health of the babies to be born will contribute to a healthier, smarter generation with good development potential,” he explained.
Nur Ilmi (31), a pregnant woman participating in the SIMCETING Program at 27 weeks of pregnancy, expressed significant benefits from the program.
“Our activities at the Nutrition Post included receiving education, sharing experiences with other pregnant women for six days, and continuous support with cooking ingredients for home cooking. We got checked for hemoglobin, blood pressure, and received explanations to improve health. We are very happy, and the program is very beneficial; we can implement the SIMCETING Program, receiving nutrition for pregnant women at the Nutrition Post,” said Ilmi. (Dompet Dhuafa/Anndini)