Over 360 Sick in Indonesia Free School Meal Food Poisoning

SRAGEN, Indonesia — More than 360 people in Sragen, Central Java, were struck by food poisoning this week after eating lunches provided under President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free school meals initiative — the biggest outbreak to hit the scheme since it began in January.

Local officials confirmed 365 cases on Thursday, saying food samples have been sent for laboratory testing. Sragen regent Sigit Pamungkas told Reuters that the government will cover medical expenses for all those affected.

The menu that day — turmeric rice, strips of omelette, fried tempeh, cucumber and lettuce salad, sliced apple, and a carton of milk — was prepared in a central kitchen before being sent to multiple schools. The kitchen has now been ordered to halt operations until test results are available.

For many students, the night after the meal brought sudden illness. Wizdan Ridho Abimanyu, a ninth-grader at Gemolong 1 Middle School, said he was jolted awake by sharp stomach pain, later followed by headaches and diarrhoea. His suspicion of food poisoning grew when he saw classmates posting similar complaints on social media.

The National Nutrition Agency, which runs the program, says it has already tightened hygiene standards and delivery procedures in response to previous outbreaks. Still, this latest incident underscores the challenges facing the $10.6 billion initiative, which aims to expand from 15 million current recipients to 83 million nationwide by year’s end.

Mass food poisoning has dogged the program from the start. In May, more than 200 students in West Java fell ill after consuming contaminated meals, with tests later detecting Salmonella and E. coli.

Published in Daily Pak, August 15th, 2025