Jakarta: The Indonesian Ministry of Health is optimistic that the country’s stunting prevalence rate will decline to 5 percent by 2045, an official said on Thursday. The optimism is driven by the ministry’s recent achievements in reducing the stunting prevalence rate, which surpassed their initial target.

According to Namibia Press Agency, Asnawi Abdullah, head of the ministry’s Development Policy Agency (BKPK), highlighted the progress made in 2024, where the prevalence rate dropped to 19.8 percent, exceeding the target of 20.1 percent. “We hope this trend will continue to improve in the coming years,” Abdullah stated during an online media meeting.

Abdullah explained that the reduction to a 19.8 percent prevalence rate signifies a decrease in the number of stunted toddlers by 357,705. He expressed confidence in achieving the 5 percent target by 2045. To meet this objective, the government aims to reduce new stunting cases by 325,000 each year.

Furthermore, Abdullah noted that 12 provinces have recorded stunting prevalence rates lower than the national average of 19.8 percent, with Bali Province leading at 8.7 percent, followed by East Java Province, Riau Islands Province, and others.