Around 2,000 fall ill in Indonesia after eating free school meals

More than 700 individuals, comprising students and teachers, fell ill after consuming free school meals in Indonesia, as reported by the principal of a school in Rembang, Java Island, on September 3. This marks the second major food poisoning incident linked to the government's free meal program, which was launched in January last year and is one of President Prabowo Subianto's signature policies.

The program, which aims to provide meals to nearly one-third of the country's population, has been heavily criticized for its high costs, with hundreds protesting in Jakarta last week for its discontinuation.

At least 725 students and 25 teachers in Rembang reported feeling unwell after eating the meal served on Wednesday morning. The principal, Juhartutik, said the students experienced symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, leading to a long queue at the bathrooms due to two toilets under renovation. Kitchen staff stated that the food was prepared at 3 am and served at noon.

A doctor from a local health clinic, Joko Paryanto, confirmed that 18 students and teachers required medical attention, with three still hospitalized.

This latest incident occurred just days after another food poisoning event, affecting over 500 students in Sidoarjo, East Java, on Tuesday. The national nutrition agency, responsible for distributing the free meals, reported that at least 80 students remained hospitalized as of Wednesday. The scheme has been plagued by numerous reports of food poisoning and allegations of corruption since its inception.

Ubaid Matraji, a researcher at the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, highlighted that the issue has reached a national level, with tens of thousands of people affected since the program's implementation, and new victims continuing to emerge each month. Matraji emphasized that the government cannot continue treating these incidents as mere statistics, as each number represents a sick child, a panicked family, and the state's inability to ensure safe food.

The free meal program aims to reach at least 82.9 million children, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, representing nearly one-third of Indonesia's population. However, the program has faced challenges, including budget cuts as Jakarta seeks to address the economic impact of the Middle East war. Over 20% of Indonesian children suffer from stunting due to severe malnutrition.