Almost 800 people have fallen ill in three new episodes of food poisoning related to the free meal program promoted by the Government of Indonesia. The cases have occurred in different regions of the country and mainly affect students, in a new setback for an initiative aimed at combating malnutrition among the child population.
The report comes from Charles Honoris, a member of the parliamentary committee overseeing health issues, who cited data from local health departments. The largest episode occurred in Sidoarjo, in East Java, where 512 students fell ill. In addition, there are 49 affected in the city of Nganjuk, also in East Java, and another 237 in Agam, in West Sumatra. Honoris assured that the episodes should not be considered isolated incidents.
The largest outbreak occurred in Sidoarjo
The most numerous episode took place in Sidoarjo, where hundreds of students had to receive assistance after consuming the meals distributed within the program. The case had already led to the temporary closure of the kitchen identified as a possible source of the poisoning while the corresponding checks are carried out.
The figure reported by the authorities has varied during the first hours of the investigation. Reuters initially reported more than 500 affected students and later collected the balance of 512 provided by Deputy Charles Honoris based on local health data. The investigation must determine which food or process may have been behind the episode.
The other two outbreaks geographically expand the problem. In Nganjuk, 49 students and staff from the educational center were affected, while in Agam, 237 sick people were counted. The temporal coincidence of the three episodes has raised doubts about the controls applied to a network that distributes meals on a large scale.
The poisonings question the management of the program
The new cases add to a history of mass poisonings in Indonesia that has provoked criticism about the functioning of the system. According to Network for Education Watch, a non-governmental organization dedicated to monitoring the program, 37,600 people had been affected by food-related poisonings up to August 8. The organization points out among the detected problems the incorrect storage of food and delays in delivery.
The criticisms are not limited to food safety. The program has also come under scrutiny for accusations of corruption, changes in its management, and doubts about the cost it represents for public accounts. In July, a survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting placed the proportion of citizens satisfied with its operation at approximately one third.
The repetition of the episodes now makes the investigation of the implicated kitchens a key element in determining whether they are localized failures or problems affecting the distribution system. While the results are awaited, the new poisonings add pressure on a program that the Executive considers strategic for the country's social policy.