More than 500 students in Indonesia’s East Java were hospitalised with food poisoning suspected to have been caused by free meals provided ​by the government, and an investigation is underway, national and regional officials said on ‌Wednesday. President Prabowo Subianto launched his multibillion-dollar programme last year to eradicate under-nutrition by giving free meals to tens of millions of children, but the scheme has suffered from controversies such as food poisoning, corruption allegations, leadership changes and a burdensome price ​tag. In East Java’s Sidoarjo region, 512 students fell ill after lunch on Tuesday, said Ketut Sumedana, ​an official at the National Nutrition Agency which oversees the meals programme. A regional ⁠official had earlier said 516 students were affected.

Full report : Indonesian officials suspect food poisoning from free school meal after more than 500 fall ill.