FKIK Unismuh – Deputy Regent of Sinjai, Andi Kartini Ottong who is also the Chairperson of the Sinjai Regency Stunting Reduction Acceleration Team (TPPS) invited the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FKIK) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Makassar to collaborate in reducing the stunting rate in her region.

This was conveyed when she met with the Dean of FKIK Unismuh Prof. Suryani As’ad. The Deputy Regent of Sinjai was received at the FKIK Unismuh Meeting Room, Jl Sultan Alauddin, Tuesday, May 17, 2022.

In his introduction, the Deputy Regent of Sinjai outlined the prevalence rate of stunting in Sinjai in 2018 reaching 42.2% (Riskesdas data), 2019 at 34.28% (SSGBI data), and 2021 to 30.1% (SSGI data).

“In 2022 we are targeting the prevalence of stunting to fall to 25.79%, in 2023 it will be 21.64%, and in 2024 it will be 17.52%,” said Andi Kartini.

To achieve these targets, in 2022 the Sinjai District Government has designated 20 villages as loci. The locus was determined through Sinjai Regent Decree number 344 of 2021.

“We have launched the MADECENG program, which stands for Village Communities Prevent Stunting. We encourage the utilization of village funds to provide additional food for babies with stunting and basic food for pregnant women at risk,” Andi Kartini explained.

However, the Deputy Regent of Sinjai acknowledged that the obstacles faced were raising awareness to the community, as well as the government’s limited human resources. Therefore, she invited FKIK Unismuh to be involved in handling stunting in Sinjai.

“We hope that the Faculty of Medicine Unismuh can be involved in collaborating in helping us reduce the stunting rate in Sinjai,” he said.

The form of FKIK Unismuh’s participation, he said, could be in the form of counseling to make people aware of eating nutritious food, which is actually quite abundant in Sinjai.

Response from the Dean of FKIK Unismuh

Dean of FKIK Unismuh Prof. Suryani As’ad welcomed the invitation. He emphasized that universities do have an obligation to carry out the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, namely education, research, and community service.

“FKIK has 5 study programs, namely S1 Medicine, Doctor Professional Education, S1 Pharmacy, D3 Midwifery, and D3 Nursing. Of course the five study programs are ready to cooperate according to the needs of the community,” said the Professor of Nutrition Science.

The five study programs are considered to run the Tri Dharma of Higher Education very well. This is proven, for example, by the A accreditation achieved by the S1 Medicine Study Program and the Doctor Professional Program from the Health Higher Education Self Accreditation Institute (LAM-PTKes).

Armed with the potential of its human resources, said Prof. Suryani, FKIK Unismuh is ready to synchronize programs, so that they can be synergized for stunting prevention.

“We also have cooperation with the BKKBN Representative of South Sulawesi Province, of course, including in helping the Government overcome stunting,” concluded Prof. Suryani.

Vice Dean I of FKIK Unismuh, Dr. Andi Weri Sompa, who was also present to accompany the dean, revealed that FKIK Unismuh is also open to collaborating to strengthen the health sector, apart from the issue of stunting.

He quoted the vision of FKIK Unismuh, which is to become a leading Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2025 that produces Islamic, trusted, and superior graduates in the field of emergency.

“There is a common thread between stunting and emergencies. In cases of dehydration and severe anemia, it is very easy for emergencies to occur. So in addition to socializing stunting, we can also socialize about emergencies,” said Weri Sompa.

The Vice Dean I of FKIK Unismuh added that his party did not want to be involved incidentally. “We don’t want to just go down to counseling, then after that go home. All forms of intervention that we do must be measurable.

“Therefore, all steps must be integrated. For example, we will also conduct research to identify the root of the problem. Then what is the right form of intervention. So research and community service, involving lecturers and students must be carried out in an integrated manner,” said Dr. Weri Sompa.

The event ended with a group photo, accompanied by a commitment to immediately bind cooperation through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) agreement between the Sinjai Regency Government and Unismuh Makassar. (Unismuh Public Relations)