Indonesia: Thousands Fall Sick from Free School Meals

1,700 people have fallen ill with food poisoning in Indonesia after eating free school meals as part of President Prabowo Subianto's $12.94 billion program launched in January 2025. At least 725 pupils and 25 teachers at a Java school became sick after consuming the lunch on Wednesday, experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Similar outbreaks occurred in Sidoarjo, East Java, and Nganjuk and Agam in West Sumatra. A lawmaker estimates the total cases linked to the scheme could reach 50,000.

Health officials blame improper storage and late delivery of meals for the outbreaks. In Lasem, a food taster found the grilled chicken slimy and discarded it. The scheme, aimed at improving nutrition for 80 million children and pregnant women, has faced allegations of corruption and leadership changes. The government has faced protests demanding it be scrapped amid economic challenges from the Middle East war. The head of Indonesia's National Nutrition Agency said the poisoning cases would be handled seriously.