Indonesia, Germany partner on MMS for pregnant women to cut stunting

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3 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Ministry of Health has partnered with the German Federal Government and PT Bayer Indonesia to locally produce Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS) for pregnant women as part of efforts to reduce stunting in Indonesia.

Indonesian Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated that MMS is a globally standardized supplement for pregnant women containing 15 essential vitamins and minerals. The supplement is considered more effective than standard iron-folic acid tablets in preventing stunting.

“The establishment of this local MMS production facility in Cimanggis (Depok, West Java) is vital to ensuring that every pregnant woman across the country consistently receives the best nutrition,” Dante said in a statement received on Thursday.

The deputy minister highlighted that stunting prevention demands strong cross-sector collaboration. The Indonesian government seeks to ensure access to high-quality MMS for all expectant mothers nationwide as a preventive measure to foster a stunting-free generation.

The German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali Radovan has affirmed support for this program, noting that the partnership reflects a commitment to sustainable investment with a direct impact on maternal and child health in Indonesia.

To back the initiative, PT Bayer Indonesia has invested Rp99 billion (around US$5.57 million) to expand research and development as well as its production lines.

Its facility in Cimanggis can currently produce up to 1.2 billion MMS tablets per year. This capacity is projected to not only meet the annual needs of Indonesia’s 4.9 million pregnant women, but also supply exports to 42 countries.

Priscilla Silvan Praritza, Head of Bayer Supply Center Healthcare Cimanggis, confirmed the facility’s readiness to deliver globally standardized MMS.

Alongside its focus on production capacity, the site prioritizes environmentally friendly operations. The Cimanggis factory is equipped with a 1.66-hectare rooftop solar panel installation, supplying 43 percent of the facility’s operational power requirements and cutting carbon emissions by up to 2,073 metric tons per year.