A total of 431 students from the Manbaul Hikam Islamic Boarding\nSchool in Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, East Java, are suspected of suffering\nfood poisoning after consuming Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) on Tuesday\n(1\/9). The students are currently receiving treatment across eight\nreferral hospitals.<\/p>\n
The Deputy Governor of East Java and Chairman of the East Java MBG\nTask Force, Emil Elestianto Dardak, has refuted circulating reports\nregarding fatalities resulting from this mass poisoning event. \u201cPlease\nnote, there were reports of deaths, but that is incorrect. No one has\ndied,\u201d he stated while inspecting victims at RSUD RT Notopuro, Sidoarjo,\non Wednesday (2\/8).<\/p>\n
He revealed that similar symptoms were reported not only by students\nfrom the Manbaul Hikam boarding school but also by students from several\nother schools that receive meals from the same MBG provider. \u201cData shows\nthat in addition to the Manbaul Hikam boarding school, there are other\nschools experiencing complaints. The common factor is the consumption of\nfood from the same SPPG, specifically SPPG Tanggulangin Kalitengah,\u201d he\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Emil praised the rapid response of various parties in managing the\nhundreds of students admitted to hospitals. He noted that a total of 19\neducational institutions were affected by this incident, including high\nschools, junior high schools, primary schools, and kindergartens, all\nlocated within the Tanggulangin District, Sidoarjo.<\/p>\n
Emil disclosed that the SPPG Tanggulangin Kalitengah had actually\nobtained a Hygiene Sanitation Suitability Certificate (SLHS) prior to\nthe incident. \u201cWe are investigating this. Assessment records show that\nthe facilities and infrastructure are adequate. Many staff members have\nalso undergone food handler certification, and halal certification has\nbeen obtained,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
However, he noted that such certification does not fully guarantee\nthat problems will not occur, as the SLHS only assesses the general\nsystem and infrastructure. He added that deviations could still occur\nduring other stages, such as the quality of ingredients or the timing of\nimplementation relative to Standard Operating Procedures (SOP).<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Deputy Coordinator of the National Nutrition Agency\n(BGN) for the East Java Region, Teguh Bayu Wibowo, confirmed that the\nSPPG Kalitengah Tanggulangin kitchen, which supplies the meals, has been\ntemporarily suspended by the central BGN following the incident. \u201cFor\nnow, a letter has been issued from the central BGN to temporarily\nsuspend operations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Regarding the duration of this suspension, Teguh stated that the\nfinal decision awaits the results of evaluations and laboratory sample\ntests. \u201cWe are currently reporting to the central office; they will\ndecide whether the suspension is temporary or permanent,\u201d he\nconcluded.<\/p>\n
Previously, a student named SZ (15) reported consuming the MBG lunch,\nwhich consisted of white rice, scrambled eggs, tempeh in Balinese\nseasoning, saut\u00e9ed green beans and baby corn, and an apple. She noted\nsomething unusual about the meal, particularly the vegetables, which\ntasted sour. By late afternoon, she experienced nausea, weakness, and\ndizziness.<\/p>\n
The caretaker of the Manbaul Hikam boarding school, KH Abdul Wahid\nHarun, stated that the school has approximately 1,000 students, all of\nwhom consumed the MBG on the day of the incident. \u201cThere are about 1,000\nstudents. Today, 431 were evacuated to the hospital. Each student\u2019s\nphysical condition varies,\u201d Wahid said in the early hours of Wednesday\n(2\/9).<\/p>\n
Wahid emphasised that the incident was unexpected by the boarding\nschool. He also confirmed that the trigger for the mass poisoning was\nthe food processed by the Kalitengah Nutrition Fulfilment Service Unit\n(SPPG) in Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, rather than food prepared by the\nboarding school itself.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hundreds-of-students-poisoned-by-free-nutritious-meal-programme-east-java-deputy-governor-denies-fatalities-1788310744", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }