Crisis Strikes Indonesia's Free Meal Program as Food Poisoning Cases Escalate
Over 1,000 children in Indonesia's West Java have suffered food poisoning from school lunches, raising concerns about the quality and oversight of the President's free meals program. Recent outbreaks prompted calls for a program suspension, amidst a planned budget increase and increased scrutiny on food safety standards.
A public health crisis has unfolded in Indonesia's West Java, where over 1,000 children have been afflicted by food poisoning due to school lunches. The incidents raise significant doubts over President Prabowo Subianto's expansive free meals initiative.
Governor Dedi Mulyadi disclosed that recent poisonings occurred in multiple areas, intensifying calls from NGOs to halt the program. This follows a similar outbreak affecting 800 students last week, shining a spotlight on the fast-expanding scheme plagued by oversight issues.
The program, already serving millions, faces criticism despite a looming budget increase. Authorities are urged to address operational challenges, as local healthcare resources struggle to cope and public confidence diminishes in the project's safety assurances.
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