Bayer is launching the Indonesia arm of its global signature program the Nutrient Gap Initiative which expands access to vitamin and minerals for underserved communities. To kick off of this initiative, Bayer will conduct selfcare program including the importance of nutrition, knowledge of anemia and immunity, personal hygiene and the home environment, as well as distribution of health supplements for urban vulnerable communities in Penjaringan, North Jakarta and Duri Kosambi, West Jakarta. Bayer is partnering with Mercy Corps Indonesia for the program implementation.

The kick-off event was attended by Kinshuk Kunwar - Director of Bayer Indonesia, Assistant Deputy for Participation in Professional Institutions and the Private Sector - Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Eko Novi Ariyanti RD, Dr. M. Fahrizal A - DKI Jakarta Health Office, Ade Soekadis - Executive Director of Mercy Corps Indonesia, and Raisa Andriana – Public Figure. This first pilot program will take place from April to September 2021 in the form of training related to selfcare education, micronutrients, anemia, hygiene and prevention of Covid-19 for 100 midwives, 500 posyandu cadres and benefiting 12,500 people.

The partnership with Mercy Corps Indonesia complements Bayer efforts to provide access to multiple micronutrient supplements to underserved pregnant women in Indonesia through interventions, education with healthcare professionals and beneficiaries, and advocacy through collective action. In addition, Bayer is adapting its portfolio and distribution networks to make its vitamins and minerals more accessible and affordable to low-income communities, advancing self-care for those who rely on it the most.

Micronutrient, vitamin and mineral deficiencies are a major public health problem in underserved communities, with women and children being particularly vulnerable. Almost 50% of young women and adolescent girls in low- and middle-income countries have inadequate vitamin and mineral intake¹ and at least half of children worldwide under age 5 suffer from this deficiency². The consequences of vitamin and mineral deficiencies worsen gradually over time, resulting in significant health consequences across the lifespan and ultimately exacerbates the cycle of poverty.

Kinshuk Kunwar, Director of Bayer Indonesia, said, “This program is part of the Nutrient Gap Initiative which will reach up to, 1 million women and babies in Indonesia per year by 2030. Bayer launched this initiative globally to enable access to essential vitamins and minerals for 50 million people in underserved communities around the globe. We believe that empowering women for selfcare will benefit themselves, their family members and their community. In addition, during the Covid-19 pandemic, immunity is very important. We understand that the intake of halal health supplements containing multivitamins essentials will help people stay healthy. Through this series of programs, we are targeting the empowerment of up to one million beneficiaries throughout Indonesia per year."

Data from BPS DKI Jakarta (2020) states, of the total population of 10.5 million, around 3.4% or 362,000 people are classified as poor; North Jakarta is the city with the highest number of poor people, and West Jakarta as the city with the highest population density. People in areas with high levels of poverty and population density are at risk of experiencing health problems.

Basic Health Research (RISKESDAS) 2018 shows that the level of public health awareness in Indonesia is still low, only reaching 20%. This means that around the majority of 80% do not have an adequate understanding of health.

Dr. M. Fahrizal A - The DKI Jakarta Health Office, said, "We warmly welcome Bayer’s Nutrient Gap Initiative. Increasing public health awareness is not only the responsibility of the government, but also requires the participation of various parties, including private sector. We hope that Bayer's support in the health sector through providing self-care skills for urban vulnerable economic communities, especially women in DKI Jakarta, goes beyond expectations, so that it can be used as a reference for the sustainability of the program in other areas and help reduce Covid-19 cases in DKI. Jakarta."

Regarding the role of the private sector in increasing women's health knowledge, Assistant Deputy for Participation in Professional Institutions and the Business sector - Kemen PPPA, Eko Novi Ariyanti RD said, "We really appreciate Bayer contribution which provides health education to the public, especially women. By equipping the urban vulnerable women with proper health education, especially selfcare, it will make a positive impact for herself and her families. "

Executive Director of Mercy Corps Indonesia, Ade Soekadis said, "With the comprehensive and sustainable support from Bayer combined with Mercy Corps Indonesia's extensive network, we are optimistic that the Nutrient Gap Initiative launched by Bayer is able to have a significant impact on improving the quality of health in Indonesia."

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Reference:

1. https://sightandlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SightandLife_SpecialReport_MMS_2020.pdf
2. https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/micronutrient-malnutrition/micronutrients/index.html

About Bayer
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2020, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 41.4 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 4.9 billion euros. For more information, go to www.bayer.com.

Media Contact PT Bayer Indonesia:

Laksmi Prasvita, Head of Communications, Public Affairs, Science and Sustainability

Email: contact.indonesia@bayer.com

About Yayasan Mercy Corps Indonesia

Mercy Corps is a global, non-governmental humanitarian organization aimed at assisting economic, environmental, social and political recovery and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, United States. As part of the global Mercy Corps, the Mercy Corps Indonesia Foundation (MCI) aims to empower Indonesians to build healthy, productive and resilient communities. MCI helps people to recover from the critical situations they face and turn them into opportunities to improve the quality of life. The MCI program helps people in Indonesia through tools and support that are tailored to local needs. Further information:  www.mercycorps.or.id

Contact Mercy Corps Indonesia

Andi Dian Roosahandita, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Officer

E-mail: aroosahandita@id.mercycorps.org