Indonesian government-supplied meals tested after more than 500 students fall ill

More than 500 students in Indonesia's East Java region were hospitalized with suspected food poisoning after consuming state-supplied meals, regional officials announced on Wednesday. The Indonesian government, under President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious free-meals scheme, aims to eradicate under-nutrition by distributing meals to tens of millions of children, but the program has faced numerous challenges.

The National Nutrition Agency, responsible for overseeing the initiative, is investigating whether the meals served to the students in Sidoarjo were the source of the illness.

As of August 8, the scheme has linked about 37,600 cases of food poisoning to the program, according to the Network for Education Watch, a non-governmental watchdog. Improper food storage and delayed delivery of cooked meals are often to blame for such incidents. The government has shut down hundreds of kitchens due to quality standard violations.

Despite recent leadership changes, including one forced by the arrest of the head on corruption allegations in June, the agency continues to struggle. The program's high cost has contributed to a larger national fiscal deficit, leading to investor concerns. A recent survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting revealed that only one-third of people are satisfied with the scheme, with food poisoning cases cited as a major reason for dissatisfaction.