"Indonesia Probes School Meal Poisoning After 700 Students Fall Ill"

Nearly 700 students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, fell ill from food poisoning linked to a school meal program initiated by President Prabowo Subianto, raising serious health concerns.

In Yogyakarta province, nearly 700 children have reported foodborne illness after consuming meals from the school meal program launched by President Prabowo Subianto in January.
As of October 29, data from the non-governmental organization JPPI indicates that approximately 15,000 children across various provinces of Indonesia have suffered from similar health issues.
The incident highlights significant concerns regarding nutrition and food safety within the school meal program, which was a key element of Prabowo Subiantos election campaign.

Why It Matters

This event underscores critical issues of food safety and nutrition in Indonesias public health policies, as the school meal initiative is intended to combat hunger among students. The widespread illness threatens to undermine public trust in government programs and their ability to protect childrens health.