72 Students Poisoned After Eating MBG Meal, SPPG Kitchen in Pondok Kelapa Closed

JAKARTA — A plate of lunch that should have been satisfying instead sent dozens of students to the treatment room. The Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in East Jakarta has been disrupted following a mass poisoning incident affecting 72 students from the same kitchen. The event occurred on Thursday (2/4/2026), when meals were distributed to several schools in the Pondok Kelapa area. Shortly after eating, complaints began to emerge: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and fever. Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, who visited the victims directly, stated that the initial suspicion points to one of the menu items. “There is an impact from the food prepared by SPPG at the Pondok Kelapa 2 location. I saw earlier that most of the affected victims are suspected to be from the spaghetti,” said Pramono at the Duren Sawit Special Regional Hospital (RSKD), East Jakarta. “The symptoms are generally fever, heat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea. Those are the symptoms,” he continued. As many as 72 students were rushed to several hospitals for treatment. Some underwent inpatient care, while others were allowed to go home after initial treatment. Now, the students’ conditions are reported to be improving gradually. “Alhamdulillah, their conditions are now all stable, recovering, hopefully in one or two days it will all be resolved,” he said. Amid the parents’ panic, the government assured one thing: treatment costs will not be borne by the victims. “For financing, if they are registered with BPJS Health, it will be fully covered by BPJS Health. Those not covered by BPJS Health, BGN states it will take responsibility for that,” said Pramono. From the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), an apology was also conveyed.