167 school children poisoned in C. Java

167 school children poisoned in C. Java

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): At least 167 school children
were admitted to hospitals and subdistrict health care units here
over the weekend after eating poisoned food.

The head of the Banyumas health office, Mambodiyanto, told The
Jakarta Post yesterday that the students were recovering but
would need a few more days rest.

Witnesses said that 180 pupils from the Pamijen II primary
school in Sokaraja district ate bean porridge cooked by Siti
Rohani, the wife of a local village secretary, and her two Family
Welfare Movement colleagues, Nani Rohani and Lasiwen.

The porridge, which had been cooked four hours previously, was
stored in plastic wrap-covered glasses.

Shortly after eating the porridge, many of the students began
vomiting. As the children began to panic, their teachers tried to
administer first aid by giving them coconut water to drink.

The meals were provided as part of a supplementary food
program set up by the government to help the children's growth
and development.

It targets 1,365 elementary schools in 635 least-developed
villages, with each school having about 300 students.

The program, paid for by a special fund and established by a
Presidential instruction, provides free school meals three times
a week.

Banyumas police chief Lt. Col. Agus Yudharto said the police
had questioned the three cooks and the bean seller. The police
confiscated the cooking utensils and a porridge sample for
further investigation.

No one has been arrested yet.

It was the second such major incident since the supplementary
food program was launched early last April.

The first came on April 17 when 192 students at the Sabuk
Indah primary school in Bandarlampung, Lampung, were
hospitalized. Three of them were flown to Jakarta's Cipto
Mangunkusumo for intensive medical care.

None of the students died from the poisoned food. (wah)