A mass illness has affected approximately 400 children in Indonesia‘s western Bengkulu province after they consumed free school meals, sparking an investigation into the cause of the outbreak.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety and quality of the meals provided under President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship food program, which aims to help pregnant women and children.
Bengkulu Province’s Vice Governor Mian announced that an investigation would be launched to determine the cause of the illness and that the kitchen responsible for preparing the meals would be temporarily suspended.
“we will temporarily suspend operations at this kitchen while we investigate where the weaknesses lie,” Mian said.
The National Nutrition Agency, which runs the program, has also launched an investigation into the incident.
Dadan Hindayana, the agency’s chief, said the kitchen in question had only recently started operating and that staff would evaluate services while waiting for test results on the food.
This is not the first incident of mass food poisoning linked to the program. Last month, 365 people fell ill from free school meals in Central Java, with laboratory results indicating that poor sanitation was the cause of the outbreak.
The rapid expansion of the program, which aims to reach 83 million recipients by the end of the year, has raised concerns about the ability of the authorities to ensure the safety and quality of the meals. The program has a budget of 171 trillion rupiah ($10.52 billion) for this year.
The incident comes amid widespread protests against the government, with demonstrators expressing anger over economic policies and alleged use of disproportionate force by security forces. The protests have resulted in several deaths, with the UN calling for investigations into the alleged use of force by security forces.
In response to the protests, President Prabowo has promised to revoke some parliamentary policies and take stern action against rioters and looters. The government has also set up checkpoints and deployed armored vehicles in Jakarta to maintain security.
The UN has expressed concern over the violence in Indonesia and called for dialogue to address the public’s concerns. “We stress the importance of dialogue to address the public’s concerns,” said Ravina Shamdasani, a spokesperson for the UN human rights office.
As the situation in Indonesia continues to unfold, the international community is watching closely, with many calling for calm and restraint. The incident highlights the need for the government to prioritize the safety and well-being of its citizens, particularly vulnerable populations such as children.