Government Ensures MBG Program in Papua Runs Smoothly

Papua – The Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) Program in the Papua region officially started on February 17, 2025 in Papua and Central Papua, with the main goal of improving children’s nutrition in the area.

The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, said that the launch of this program went according to plan and had a positive impact on the local community.

“This program has been running smoothly in Papua and Central Papua, and we have succeeded in targeting more than 2 million beneficiaries,” said Dadan.

The MBG program is designed to ensure that children in Papua get sufficient nutritional intake to support their growth and development. Dadan added that although this program has just started, the government has committed to continuing to expand the reach of its beneficiaries.

“We are targeting this program to continue to grow, and the number of beneficiaries can increase even more,” said Dadan.

Previously, the government targeted 1.5 million beneficiaries, but now that number has been exceeded with more than 2 million children benefiting from this program.

Acting Governor of Papua, Ramses Limbong, also welcomed the implementation of this program and stated that MBG has made a major contribution to improving the quality of life of Papuan children.

“This program is running smoothly, and we continue to ensure the distribution of nutritious food to all areas in need,” said Ramses.

The Governor also stated that although there were some initial challenges related to rejection in several areas, this can now be overcome with a more persuasive and educational approach. Ramses added that the regional government will continue to work with various sectors to ensure the sustainability of this program.

“We will ensure that this MBG program not only runs well, but can also overcome the problem of malnutrition in Papua,” he said.

In addition, Ramses also emphasized that free education for elementary to high school levels has become a priority in accordance with the Special Autonomy Law (Otsus), and every parent and community in Papua must support this program.

“Let’s support this MBG program for a better future for Papuan children,” concluded Ramses.

The successful implementation of this program is expected to have a long-term impact in improving the welfare and quality of life of the Papuan people, especially in terms of health and education.