Academic Highlights Government's Swift Response to MBG Case in Karo
Wahyu Ario Pratomo, an academic at the University of North Sumatra (USU), has highlighted the government’s swift response in handling victims of suspected poisoning from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in Karo Regency, North Sumatra.
Wahyu noted the visit by Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka to Karo to see first-hand the health condition of victims suspected of suffering MBG-related food poisoning.
He also highlighted the case of victims who were referred to Jakarta and have arrived at the National Central General Hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM) for further treatment.
According to Wahyu, the steps taken by the central government were appropriate, as the government must not stop at initial treatment when the victims’ conditions still require more comprehensive examination.
“I consider the Vice President’s move to facilitate the referral to Jakarta an appropriate response, showing an escalation of treatment when the victims’ conditions were deemed to require more complete services, and a demonstration of the government’s serious sense of responsibility,” Wahyu said in a statement on Tuesday (15/9).
In his view, if victims continue to experience prolonged symptoms and complaints that have yet to be clearly diagnosed, referral to a healthcare facility with greater capacity is a rational step.
Such a step is also important to ensure the quality of care received by the victims does not depend on their families’ economic means or the limitations of local healthcare facilities.
“The state must ensure victims receive examination, therapy, observation, and follow-up until their conditions are truly stable and return to normal,” he said.
In addition, Wahyu believes that referral to better healthcare facilities can also provide certainty to the victims’ families.
“In this context, facilitating referrals can speed up a more comprehensive diagnosis and provide a sense of security to the victims’ families,” he said.
Nevertheless, he cautioned that individual treatment must proceed alongside the government’s evaluation of the MBG programme itself.
He said the government needs to trace the entire food supply chain, from the selection of ingredients, storage, cooking processes, kitchen hygiene, and distribution, through to the time the food is received and consumed by students.
Wahyu said such an evaluation is needed to objectively identify the point of failure and determine the improvements that must be made.
“So I see these steps as a form of the government’s serious and victim-oriented sense of responsibility,” he said.
Previously, 353 students in Karo Regency suffered poisoning after eating MBG meals at school on 13 August 2026. The victims only began experiencing symptoms several hours after consuming the food distributed under the MBG programme.
Of the hundreds of affected students, Febiona and Agnesia still require special attention. Febiona was reported to be suffering from memory impairment and seizures, while Agnesia is said to have kidney problems.