How many food poisoning incidents have affected the free meal program?

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Over 6,400 individuals have been impacted by food poisoning incidents linked to the free meal program.

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has recorded 70 distinct food poisoning incidents since the program's inception in January up to late September. These incidents have collectively affected more than 6,400 people, highlighting a significant public health concern associated with the flagship government initiative.
Incidents and Affected Individuals

Between January and late September, the BGN documented 70 separate food poisoning cases. The scale of these events is substantial, with over 6,400 individuals falling ill as a result of consuming food provided through the program. The severity of some cases, such as those in West Bandung where over 1,300 children experienced breathing difficulties, nausea, and diarrhoea, has drawn considerable attention.
Rapid Program Expansion and Kitchen Operations

The surge in food poisoning cases is occurring alongside a rapid expansion of the program. The number of production kitchens increased dramatically from approximately 1,000 in April to over 9,600 by late September. Concurrently, the number of beneficiaries grew from three million to 31 million within the same period. Officials have suggested that many incidents occurred in newly established kitchens where cooks may have lacked experience, or due to issues with raw material quality, water, and operational standard violations.
Calls for Program Suspension and Government Response

These widespread food poisoning incidents have prompted calls from non-profit groups and researchers for the program to be suspended. Concerns have been raised that the reported figures may represent only the "tip of the iceberg," with the actual number of cases potentially higher due to the lack of a publicly available reporting dashboard. In response, the nutrition agency has suspended 56 kitchens identified as responsible for food safety incidents as part of a comprehensive evaluation. President Prabowo Subianto has defended the program, stating that the food poisoning incidents represent a very small percentage of the total meals served.

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How many food poisoning incidents have affected the free meal program?

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