Bengkulu, Many Children Reported Unwell After Free School Meals | Asia One News

Summary

In Indonesia's Benulu city, approximately 400 children were hospitalized due to food poisoning after consuming free school meals, part of the government's nutrition program. The incident has led to the suspension of the meal kitchen program as authorities investigate the cause. This marks the second major food poisoning case linked to the initiative, which aims to improve nutrition for students. Launched earlier this year, the program has expanded rapidly, providing meals to millions of children, with plans to reach 83 million by year-end. The government is now focused on improving food safety protocols to prevent further incidents.

Takeaways

• 😀 Around 400 children in Benulu, Indonesia were hospitalized after suffering food poisoning from eating free school meals.
• 😀 The incident has led to the suspension of the school meal program in Benulu until an investigation is conducted.
• 😀 The affected children ranged from pre-kindergarten to primary school and experienced stomach pains after consuming the meals.
• 😀 This incident is the worst to date linked to the government's school meal initiative in Indonesia.
• 😀 A similar food poisoning case occurred last month in Central Java, affecting 365 children.
• 😀 The meals were part of President Joko Widodo's flagship initiative aimed at providing free school meals to improve nutrition for students.
• 😀 Deputy Governor of Benulu emphasized that stricter food safety measures will be implemented to avoid further incidents.
• 😀 The local government is focused on ensuring the recovery of the affected children while the investigation continues.
• 😀 The investigation into the incident will be conducted by the BGN investigation team and local authorities.
• 😀 The free school meal program launched in January 2023 has expanded rapidly, reaching over 15 million children across the country.
• 😀 Authorities plan to extend the program to 83 million students by the end of 2023, with a total cost of around 171 trillion rupiah (approximately $10.66 billion).

Q & A

How many children were hospitalized due to food poisoning in Benulu, Indonesia?

Around 400 children were hospitalized after suffering food poisoning from eating free school meals in Benulu, Indonesia.

What action did the deputy governor of Benulu take after the food poisoning incident?

The deputy governor announced that the meal kitchen program would be suspended until an investigation into the incident was completed.

What is the main goal of the free school meals program launched by President Joko Widodo?

The main goal of the free school meals program is to improve the nutrition of young students across Indonesia.

What was the cause of the food poisoning incident in Benulu?

The food poisoning incident was caused by contaminated or unsafe food provided through the free school meals program.

What did the deputy governor of Benulu mention about the scope of the food poisoning incident?

The deputy governor described the incident as the worst related to the program so far.

How many children were affected by a similar food poisoning incident in Central Java last month?

A similar incident in Central Java affected 365 children.

What was the immediate response to the food poisoning incident in Benulu?

The affected children were rushed to a local hospital with stomach pains, and efforts were made to handle the situation swiftly.

What steps will be taken to prevent future food poisoning incidents in the program?

Stricter food safety measures will be implemented to prevent further incidents as the program continues to grow.

What is the scale of the free school meals program in Indonesia?

The program, launched in January this year, has already reached over 15 million children nationwide and plans to reach 83 million students by the end of the year.

How much is the estimated total cost of the free school meals program?

The total cost of the program is approximately 171 trillion rupiah, or about 10.66 billion USD.