172 Unair Specialist Doctor Students Mass Poisoning, Food Samples Sent for Lab Testing
RSUD Dr Soetomo Surabaya has partnered with several authorised institutions to investigate food samples to uncover the cause of suspected mass poisoning experienced by hundreds of students participating in the Specialist Doctor Education Programme (PPDS) at the Airlangga University Faculty of Medicine (FK Unair).
This sample investigation follows reports from 172 specialist doctor candidates who complained of nausea, vomiting, and dizziness during pre-education (Pradik) activities on Monday (26/9). The Head of General Affairs at RSUD Dr Soetomo, Robeth Jabbar, stated that this step is an effort to establish the facts regarding the incident.
“To ensure the condition and identify the cause of the health complaints that occurred, RSUD Dr Soetomo has taken several examination and coordination steps,” Robeth said in a written statement on Tuesday (27/9).
Robeth explained that the medical investigation process focuses not only on the leftover food from the pre-education event but also involves testing direct specimens from the affected patients. These samples have now been sent to several authorised laboratories.
“The examination includes food sampling as well as rectal swab testing, which have been sent to the East Java Regional Police Forensic Laboratory (Puslabfor), the Public Health Laboratory (Labkesmas), and the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM),” he said.
While awaiting the test results from BPOM and the East Java Police Forensic Laboratory, RSUD Dr Soetomo has also reported the suspected food poisoning incident to the local Health Office.
“RSUD Dr Soetomo has also conveyed information regarding the incident to the relevant Health Office,” he added.
The RSUD Dr Soetomo authorities emphasised that the conclusions from the testing in the three laboratories will serve as the basis for future decision-making and medical actions.
“The results of the examinations from the relevant laboratories will be a crucial part in determining the next steps for handling this,” said Robeth.
In addition to conducting laboratory tests, the hospital has also requested accountability from the organising committee, namely the Faculty of Medicine at Airlangga University, regarding the cleanliness and safety of the catering. An evaluation of the food provision is currently being discussed with the university.
“RSUD Dr. Soetomo is also continuing to coordinate with the Airlangga University Faculty of Medicine to monitor the condition of the students and handle the incident, including an evaluation of the food provision for the pre-education activities conducted by the Faculty of Medicine,” he said.
Meanwhile, Airlangga University has not yet provided any comment. They are expected to provide a statement during a press conference scheduled to be held this afternoon at RSUD Dr Soetomo.