MATERNAL AND CHILDHOOD NUTRITION SERVICES DURING THE COVID19 PANDEMIC IN INDONESIA

Abstract

The economic and global crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic poses great risks to the nutritional status and survival of children in low-and middle-income countries. A Literature review that aims to provide an overview the impact of the pandemic for policy makers related to nutrition services in Indonesia and ASEAN countries, including an overview the coverage of giving iron tablets to pregnant women and adolescent girls, coverage of giving vitamin A, the impact of the pandemic on child growth monitoring services, breastfeeding and complementary food behaviour, proportion of staple foods consumed by children under 5 years of age in the last 1 month during the pandemic, types of staple foods and animal protein, sick toddlers accessing health services and allocation of refocusing funds aimed at fulfilling food and nutrition. Social protection policies in Indonesia in the form of macro, micro and poverty reduction policies have been carried out. Several studies state that the increase in wasting in children during the Covid-19 pandemic is the largest contributor to the estimated mortality that must be watched out for, in addition to meeting food needs for affected communities, and fulfilling nutrition at the household level (poor and vulnerable groups).Government social assistance such as Sembako program or Program Keluarga Harapan (PKH), the first conditional cash transfer programme in Indonesia can temporarily help to overcome the situation of food shortages that may occur at the family level. There is a need for government in SEA countries to support, monitoring and evaluation in ensuring the sustainability of nutrition services, as well as capacity strengthening at the ASEAN region, national, and sub-national levels in maintaining maternal and childhood nutrition services during and recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.The time to act is now,or the impact of COVID-19 on malnutrition will be felt for generations to come.