In Indonesia, more than 360 people hit by food poisoning after free school meal
President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free school meals programme has been marred by mass food poisoning cases since it launched in January
Since its launch in January, the free school meals programme has been marred by mass food poisoning cases across the archipelago, affecting over 1,000 people.
Sragen government chief Sigit Pamungkas said 365 people fell ill and a food sample was being tested in a lab. The government would pay for any medical treatment if needed.
Wizdan Ridho Abimanyu, a ninth grader at Gemolong 1 middle school, told Reuters he was woken at night by sharp pain in his stomach.
He had a headache and diarrhoea, which he deduced had been caused by food poisoning after seeing schoolmates’ social media posts complaining the same.
The likely contaminated lunch was turmeric rice, omelette ribbons, fried tempeh, cucumber and lettuce salad, sliced apple and a box of milk, cooked in a central kitchen and distributed to several schools.