Government of Indonesia and UNICEF launch landmark programme to accelerate maternal nutrition and reduce child wasting

Jakarta, 5 March 2026 – The Ministry of Health of Indonesia, with support from UNICEF under the Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) initiative, today launched a five-year national programme to support maternal nutrition and reduce child wasting across the country. This partnership will complement the Government of Indonesia’s investment to scale up child and maternal nutrition services across the 38 provinces in the country.

Through this partnership, more pregnant women will receive essential nutrition services for their health and their baby’s development through an expanded nutrition package in the health system. This includes Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation (MMS) for pregnant women – a range of vitamins and minerals to better prevent anemia and improve birth outcomes.

The partnership will also aim to strengthen early detection and treatment of severe acute malnutrition among children, through expanding the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) programme. This will increase children’s access to life-saving therapeutic foods and timely care.

Health systems will be strengthened by improving supply chains and enhancing digital nutrition information systems, and supporting the local production of essential nutrition supplies, such as MMS and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF).

“Indonesia maintains a strong political commitment to improving maternal nutrition and reducing undernutrition, including wasting among children under five,” emphasized Vice Minister of Health, Prof. Dante, in his remarks at the launch event. “These efforts form a key foundation for broader human capital development and for our national mission to prevent stunting in order to build a healthier generation.”

Targeting all 38 provinces, the CNF contribution covering 2025-2029 is aligned with Indonesia’s Medium-Term National Development Plan (RPJMN) and contributes to the National Health Transformation Agenda.

Maniza Zaman, UNICEF Indonesia Representative said, “Adequate nutrition during pregnancy and into early childhood is essential to fulfilling every child’s right to grow up healthy and have the best start in life. This programme is a significant investment by Indonesia, and a comprehensive effort, to address maternal undernutrition and child wasting at scale. UNICEF is honored to support the Government’s landmark effort through the Child Nutrition Fund.”

Inadequate maternal nutrition increases the risk of low birthweight, impaired growth and developmental delays, with consequences that can last a lifetime. Child wasting negatively impacts health, as well as school readiness, learning outcomes and future economic productivity.

Indonesia has made significant progress in reducing child malnutrition. However, according to the 2024 National Nutrition Survey (SSGI), nearly one in four pregnant women in Indonesia is affected by anemia. Approximately 1.2 million children under five face wasting (when a child is too thin for their height), including more than 260,000 children who suffer from severe wasting – a life-threatening form of undernutrition.

The launch of this programme marks an important milestone in Indonesia’s efforts and strong commitment to address these issues and improve maternal and child nutrition. By 2029, over 4.3 million pregnant women will benefit from the provision of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) and all children with severe malnutrition who are referred to treatment will be supported with ready-to-use therapeutic food.

CNF will match funds allocated by the Government of Indonesia, thereby encouraging domestic investment and long-term sustainability of interventions. Established by UNICEF in 2023 with support from partners, CNF mobilizes global financing to support countries in accelerating progress in maternal and child nutrition.

The launch brought together senior representatives from the Ministry of Health, Bappenas, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Social Affairs, BPOM, and BKKBN, as well as provincial health offices. Development partners including the World Health Organization, World Food Programme, World Bank, and members of the Scale Up Nutrition Networks were also present, underscoring strong multi-sectoral commitment to advancing maternal nutrition and accelerating child wasting reduction in Indonesia.