360 Students Hospitalised in Critical Condition After Consuming Free Government Lunch
- More than 360 students in Central Java’s Sragen were hospitalised after consuming school lunch, marking the largest food poisoning case linked to Indonesia’s free meals programme
- The incident added to the growing number of outbreaks that have plagued President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship initiative since its launch in January
- Authorities suspended food distribution from the implicated kitchen and pledged to cover medical costs as lab tests are underway
More than 360 students in Sragen, Central Java, have fallen ill and have been taken to hospital in critical condition after consuming school lunch provided under President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free meals programme, marking the largest food poisoning incident since the initiative began in January.
Sragen government chief Sigit Pamungkas confirmed to Reuters that 365 individuals were affected and that food samples were currently undergoing laboratory testing. He stated that the government would cover any necessary medical treatment for those impacted.
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Suspected contaminated school lunch under investigation
The suspected meal, consisting of turmeric rice, omelette ribbons, fried tempeh, cucumber and lettuce salad, sliced apple, and a box of milk, was prepared in a central kitchen and distributed to multiple schools in the area. Authorities have since suspended food distribution from the implicated kitchen pending lab results
“We have asked to temporarily stop the food distribution from that kitchen until the lab results are back,” Sigit said.
Free meals programme expansion amid safety concerns
The free school meals programme, launched earlier this year, has rapidly scaled up to serve over 15 million recipients nationwide.
Despite its ambitious goal to reach 83 million people by the end of 2025, the initiative has been repeatedly marred by food safety incidents. Over 1,000 people have reportedly fallen ill in similar cases across Indonesia.
In May, more than 200 students in West Java were hospitalised after consuming contaminated meals. Laboratory tests revealed the presence of Salmonella and E. coli bacteria, according to media reports.
Indonesian government responds, raises standards
In response to the growing number of food poisoning cases, the National Nutrition Agency has implemented stricter standards for kitchen operations and food delivery. Its chief, Dadan Hindayana, told Reuters that the agency had taken steps to improve safety protocols following earlier outbreaks.
Wizdan Ridho Abimanyu, a ninth grader at Gemolong 1 middle school, recounted his experience to Reuters, saying he was woken at night by sharp stomach pain. He also suffered from a headache and diarrhoea, which he attributed to food poisoning after seeing similar complaints on social media from his classmates.
The government has allocated 171 trillion rupiah ($10.62 billion) to fund the programme this year. Despite the setbacks, officials remain committed to expanding the initiative, which is a cornerstone of President Prabowo’s social welfare agenda.
5 siblings die of suspected food poisoning
Legit.ng earlier reported that five siblings reportedly died of suspected food poisoning, and their mother is in a critical condition in Ogidi, Idemili North local government area.
The incident, which reportedly occurred on May 3, threw the family and the entire community into mourning, with relatives and neighbours seen consoling the bereaved.
On May 7, Pa Robinson Aghalu, a 79-year-old retired soldier and father of the deceased children, told The Punch that the tragedy began shortly after the children ate a meal prepared by their mother.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
