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)