The crucial etiology of stunting is due to non-endocrinal abnormality including chronic infection, malnutrition, gastrointestinal impairment, congenital heart disease, maternal care, socioeconomic factors, and etc. Within all after-mentioned etiology, maternal care holds a high percentage of causal relation to stunting. United Nations of Children’s Fund indicates that maternal care is one of the essential factors which correlates with child nutritional disability including stunting. Consequently, SCOPH-SCORE CIMSA BEM KM FK Andalas University execute a CIMSA national activity, GAP Exchange, as a way of promotion, education, and prevention of stunting’s risk factors and complications. GAP Exchange also give an opportunity to the incomings to learn more about Indonesian endemic diseases. The objective of this activity is to increase the awareness of stunting as well as its risk factors, complications, and prevention; which in long-term, hoped to decrease the incidence of stunted children.
There are four different activities within GAP Exchange provided by SCOPH-SCORE CIMSA BEM KM FK Andalas University. In the first week, incoming student from Spain take part in the expert lectures, small working group, tutorial, and brainstorming session coached by three nutrition and biomedical specialist. Those specialists also train the incoming of how to participate in the fieldwork and how to collect samples in the terrain with a high prevalence of stunted children. The specialists are Dr. dr. Masrul, MSc, SpGk, Prof.dr. Nur Indrawati Lipoeto,Msc,PhD SpGK, and dr. Rer. Nat Ikhwan Resmala Sudji. For the second week of GAP Exchange, SCOPH-SCORE does a field survey of the primary healthcare facility which functions as the venue for the research and data collection. Three primary healthcare facilities are surveyed, namely: Puskesmas Jati, Puskesmas Delima 5 Jatirawang, and Puskesmas Pasaman.
On the third week, SCOPH-SCORE members and the incoming student have a visit to the surveyed primary healthcare facilities for observation and data collection of the sample. Mothers who come with their toddlers are the target of this research. Research is done throughout the week to analyze the prevalence of stunting in the area and also the involvement of maternal care. During this last week of GAP Exchange, SCOPH-SCORE members educate mothers with their toddlers on Puskesmas Jati and Puskesmas Delima 5 Jatirawang about stunting and its prevention. Education on children nutrition such as MP-ASI (food that goes alongside mother’s milk) and healthy food intake guideline are also given. The activity then ended with the post-intervention questionnaire and discussion with the district head. GAP Exchange by SCOPH-SCORE CIMSA BEM KM FK Andalas University is hoped to have a good impact on overcoming nutrition impairment in Indonesian children. In addition, trough the education is given, it is anticipated that the community around Padang can apply the knowledge of good nutrition intake for children to reduce the further incidence of stunting.
