SMART-MMS Enters Mid-Study Phase, Field Data Provide a Basis for Strengthening the Program
The SMART-MMS study, together with its calcium supplementation sub-study, reached an important milestone with the implementation of its mid-term review on Thursday, 1 October 2026. Held virtually, the meeting brought together the SUMMIT team, policymakers, and health partners in Lombok to review the study’s progress and discuss preliminary findings from field implementation.
The meeting opened with remarks from Yuni Dwi Setiyawati, MHID., Dietitian, CEO of Summit Institute for Development (SUMMIT). She emphasized the importance of the mid-term forum as an opportunity to collectively assess the study’s progress and ensure that implementation remains aligned with its established objectives.
The following remarks were delivered by the Head of the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Health Office, Dr. dr. H. Lalu Hamzi Fikri, MM., MARS. He highlighted that program success cannot be achieved through fragmented efforts. Collaboration among the Health Office, POGI, BRIDA, and other stakeholders is essential to ensure that the study findings can be adopted and integrated into government programs.
An overview of the study’s progress was then presented by Una Dika Firmanila, S.T., MURP, Project Lead of SMART-MMS. She presented the enrollment rates across districts and municipalities in Lombok, including patterns of participation among pregnant women from urban and rural areas.
The presentation also covered the distribution of MMS tablets to pregnant women and the use of gamification mechanisms to encourage adherence to supplementation. Data on pregnancy outcomes among SMART-MMS participants were also included in the report, providing an overview of participant progress as the study reached its mid-point.
The implementation perspective was further presented by Lia Rosida, S.Pd., M.Dev.St., COO of SUMMIT. She discussed various concerns and complaints reported by pregnant women throughout their participation in the study, as well as how the team followed up on these concerns directly. Field-level MMS distribution was also discussed, including preparations for the MMS program currently being developed by the central government.
“During this meeting, we also announced that we will begin a sub-study involving calcium supplementation as an additional supplement for pregnant women,” said Nurmalita Hartiyana Kusuma Wardani, SMART-MMS Project Officer, during her presentation on the calcium sub-study. Participant recruitment will begin in October 2026, with monitoring continuing through June 2027. Throughout this period, monitoring and reporting will be conducted regularly, following the reporting mechanism established in the MMS study.
From a scientific perspective, dr. Nurhandini Eka Dewi, Sp.A., MPH, representing the SMART-MMS Scientific Board, presented on the concept of health promotion. This approach is an important component in ensuring that nutritional interventions go beyond tablet distribution and also encourage participants to develop greater understanding of and engagement with healthy behaviors.
Meanwhile, dr. A. Rusdhy H. Hamid, Sp.O.G., Subsp. KFm., MARS, also a member of the Scientific Board, discussed the co-administration of calcium and MMS from a scientific perspective. He presented research findings on the effectiveness of MMS and calcium supplementation, including their relevance to nutritional requirements during pregnancy and fetal development.
“Calcium intake requirements in the first trimester reach 90.6%, highlighting the importance of calcium for pregnant women,” he explained.
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