Nearly 800 people in Indonesia fell ill in separate food poisoning incidents linked to the government’s free meals programme, a parliamentary health commission member said, according to Reuters reporting published by ARN News Centre.
Charles Honoris cited local health department figures in a social media post on Wednesday. He reported 512 affected students in Sidoarjo and 49 cases in Nganjuk, both in East Java, plus 237 cases in Agam, West Sumatra.
Kitchen suspended
The National Nutrition Agency suspended the kitchen connected to the Sidoarjo outbreak on Wednesday. Reuters said the agency had not immediately responded to its request for comment on the lawmaker’s claims.
The agency oversees the $12.94 billion programme launched by President Prabowo Subianto last year to address under-nutrition through free meals for children. Honoris, a member of the party outside the governing coalition, described the outbreaks as a system failure.
Earlier outbreaks and public concern
The non-governmental Network for Education Watch reported that food poisoning linked to the scheme had affected 37,600 people as of August 8. That cumulative figure is separate from the latest incidents cited by Honoris.
Authorities have said inadequate food storage and delayed delivery of cooked meals are frequent causes of the outbreaks. The programme has also faced allegations of corruption and changes in leadership, Reuters reported.
A July survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting found that only one-third of respondents were satisfied with the programme. Reported poisoning cases were a major reason for dissatisfaction.
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