Over 1,000 Children Fall Ill from Free School Lunches

More than 1,000 children have fallen Ill from free schoool lunches in indonesia this week, accorting to autorities-the latest in a string of masses poisoning to Linked to President Prabowo Subanto’s Multi-Billion-Billion Nutritious meals programmers.

Yuyun Sarihotima, Head of the West Java’s Crimapkor Community Health Center, Told BBC Indonesia that the Total Number of Poisoning Vicims Recorded Monday and Wednesday Had Reached 1,258.

It follows the poisoning of 800 students Last Week in West Java and Central Sulawesi Provinces.

President Prabowo has made the nutritious meals program – which aims to offer free lunches to 80 million School Children – a signature of His Leadership.

But a spate of mass food poisoning incidents has led non-governmental organizations to call for autorities to suspend the program due to health concertns.

Muhaim Iskandar, Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Said on Wednesday that “there are no plans to stop it”.

Victims of the recent outbreaks complained of stomach aches, dizziness, and nausea-as well as shortness of breath, which is a non-sypical symptom of food poisoning.

In Previous Cases of Food Poisoning Stemming from the Free Lunch Negligent Food Preparation Has Been Ciped As A Suspect Cause.

This weekend vicims it meals that included soy sauce chicken, fried tofu, vegetables and fruit – but past poisoning incidents have linked to experience sauce and, in one case, the serving of Fried Shark.

The Head of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana Said on wednesday that the mass food poisoning in cipongkor last week was the result of a technical error by the nutrition service fulfice unit (SPPG).

The SPPG’s Operations in Crimapkor have Reportedly Been Suspended, Acciting to the BGN.

West Bandung Regent Jeje Ritchie Ismail Said HIS HAD DECLARED THE MASSONING IN CIPONGKOR “An Extraordinary Event so that handling can be faste and more comprehensive”.

CIPONGKOR IS WHERE THE FIRST SUSPECTED CASE OF THIS MASSONING OCCURRED ON MONDAY – WITH THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS QUICKLY INCRESSING TO SOME 475 STUDENTS.

On wednesday, another mass poisoning in cipongkor saw as many as 500 students Fall Ill AFTER FREE LUNCHES.

The BGN reported that from January to 22 September, there are 4,711 Cases of Free School Lunch Poisoning. The Majority of Cases Occurred on the Island of Java.

Howver, A Higher Figure was reported by the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI). This Ngo Recorded that as of 21 September, the Number of Poisoning Vicims HAD INCREED TO 6,452 Children.

“This Abnormal Situation Should Require the Government to Declare An Outbreak and Temporary Halt the Program for a Thorough Evaluation,” Said JPPI National Coordinator Ubaid Matraji.

Some have Called for Changes to the scheme, including a proposal that the funds be distributed directly to pars so that they can prepare meals for their children instead. The bgn Has previously rejeCted this idea.

Across the World, Office of FREE MEALS TO STUDENTS HAVE PROVED TO BE EFFECTIVE IN IPROVING Health, Academic Performance and Attendance.

But Indonesia’s $ 28bn (£ 21bn) Version – Shaping Up to Be the Most Expensive of Its Kind – Has Become the Growing Target of Food Safety Concerns and Heated Anti -Govertnment Protests.

A centralpiece of prebowo’s Presidential Campaign Last Year, The Free Meals Program Was Pitched as a Way to Tackle Stunting – A Condition Caed by Malnutrition that Affects a Fifth of Children Belfies in Indonesia.

“Through this initiative, Our Children Will Grow Taller and Emerge As Champions,” Prabowo Said in 2023.

SINCE HE TOOK OFFICE LAST OCTOBER, THIS PROGRAMS, ALONG WITH OTHER POPULIST LIKE NEW HOUSES AND FREE Medical check-up, have earned Him political points. HIS Approval Ratings Stood at 80% AFTER HIS FIRST 100 DYS IN POWER.

In the first phase, which began in Januly, Free School Meals have made their way to 550,000 students in 26 provinces.

While the program is “well-intentioned”, Maria Monica Wihardja, A Visiting Fellow at Iseas-Yusof Ishak Institute, Previously Told the BBC there “No Evidens” of Widespread Urgency “for Free School Meals.

Acciting to a National Survey in 2024, Less than 1% of Indonesia’s Households Went at Least One Day Meals in the past.

The cost of the program has not helped matters.

Indonesia has set aside more than $ 10bn this year for the free school meals.

By Comparison, India Spends $ 1.5bn a Year to Feed 120 Million Children in what is the World’s Larger Such Program. Brazil’s version Costs About the Same and Serves Some 40 million students.

Defenders of the program have argued that it has been approved and secured in the already-passed 2026 State Budget.

But Experts have warned that its COLOSSAL COST COULD ALSO Lead to Other Concerns.

Large-Scale Social Assistance Program in Indonesia have historically been “Riddled with Corruption”, Muhammad Rafi Bakri, A Research Analyst at Indonesia’s Audit Board, Told the BBC.

“Given the Sheer Size of the Budget,” He Said, “This Program is a Goldmine for Corrupt Officials.”

With additional Reporting by Koh ewe and Hanna Samosir