To reduce stunting rates in Depok City, the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) of Universitas Indonesia (UI) held a community service activity (pengmas) in Sukamaju Village, Cilodong District, Depok. The activity, which involved religious leaders, aims to increase public awareness of the importance of preventing stunting through religious lectures.
According to Dr. Ir. Asih Setiarini, M.Sc., Head of the FKM UI Community Service Team, the prevalence of stunting in Depok City based on the 2023 Depok City Health Profile was recorded at 3.24%. However, in Sukamaju Village, the prevalence is higher, reaching 4.1% in 2024. “This condition shows the high number of stunting cases in the area, so counseling on stunting prevention is very important to be carried out to increase public knowledge and awareness,” explained Dr. Asih.
The activity, which took place on Thursday, August 22, was attended by 33 religious leaders consisting of ustadz, ustadzah, and pastors. They were given a deep understanding of stunting, its causes, impacts, and how to prevent it. “Increased understanding of stunting in toddlers by religious leaders can be used as material for religious lectures and can be passed on to the wider community,” she added.
Drs. Zainal Arifin, M.Si., Head of Cilodong District, expressed his appreciation for the FKM UI initiative in educating the community through religious leaders. “I hope that government programs can continue to run, one of which is through the participation of community leaders, such as religious leaders, in dealing with the problem of stunting and achieving zero new stunting in Depok City,” he said.
In line with that, Indra Cahyadi, S.H., M.A., Head of Sukamaju Village, emphasized the importance of collaboration between academics, entrepreneurs, media, and the community. “With support from all parties, efforts to reduce stunting rates can continue to be implemented. Hopefully, this effort can have a positive impact and gradually reduce stunting rates in Depok City,” said Indra.
One of the participants, Jayadi Amin, expressed admiration for the counseling provided. “In my opinion, the stunting counseling activity that has been held is extraordinary. Information about stunting, nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and balanced nutrition is knowledge that I have never known before, so with this educational activity, I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge that can be shared with other people,” said Jayadi.
The FKM UI Community Service Team involved in this activity consists of Dr. Ir. Diah Mulyawati Utari, M.Kes., Mardatillah, SKM., Latifah, S.Gz., Wibisana Nauval Aqil Sidopekso, Wahyu Kurnia Yusrin Putra, SKM, MKM., and Nurul Dina Rahmawati, SGz, M.Sc. Last year, a similar activity was also carried out by FKM UI in Kalanganyar District, Lebak Regency, Banten.
