Keep Running the Counseling Activity for Children's Health

#BersamaMelawanCovid19 - Not all parents, especially mothers, know basic information regarding the health of children under two years of age. This information can usually be obtained during visits to puskesmas, posyandu, or hospitals. However, there is another way to obtain this information, namely by accepting counseling.

Merita (32), a posyandu cadre in a village in Sekadau District is someone who also shares information related to children's health. She is also appointed as a PMBA (Infant and Young-Child Feeding) counselor who is ready to help every mother in the sub-village where she lives.

“I feel happy when the mother I counseled does according to our agreement. Previously the mother gave formula milk to her child. However, after we discussed, the mother finally gave breast milk, "he said.

Merita has received training related to children's health by Wahana Visi Indonesia 2 years ago. She and other cadres have helped mothers to know more about the health of their children. Due to the current condition of the Covid-19 pandemic, counseling activities carried out by Merita and other cadres have temporarily stopped.

Even though she was advised not to provide counseling, apparently Merita could not resist her desire to help the community. When she saw a person who had just given birth and then gave formula milk to her baby even though the breastmilk came out, Merita couldn't sit still. Merita immediately intervened and approached the mother to teach her the right things.

"I care and feel very important for the health of mothers and children. Especially during the Covid-19 era, children are very vulnerable, so I continue to do counseling so that children's health can be maintained,” explained the long-haired woman.

When doing counseling, Merita still observes health protocols. Continue to wash your hands with soap, use a mask, and at a distance when doing counseling. For him, counseling with a protocol like this is quite a challenge.

“Because I use a mask, people often end up laughing at me. They say that the Coronavirus only exists in cities. In our village we don't exist,” she said sadly.

This mother who also has toddlers hopes that parents will always pay attention to the health of their children. In addition, he hopes that other cadres will also start doing counseling again so that children and parents in their villages can stay healthy even during the pandemic.

Written by: Herna Sinulingga, Staff of Sekadau Program Area Wahana Visi Indonesia