The National Nutrition Agency of Indonesia has temporarily halted 1,999 kitchens that take part in the nation's premier free meal programme because the operators did not apply for the required hygiene and sanitation certificates from the health ministry, according to a report.
A sizable portion of the 27,022 kitchens that were in operation nationally as of September 7 to feed President Prabowo Subianto's centrepiece nutritional initiative were impacted by the raid, according to a report by Reuters.
"The hygiene and sanitation certification is a mandatory requirement for operating kitchens that provide the free meals programme," said agency chief Sudaryono, who goes by a single name.
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In order to decide additional fines, Sudaryono stressed that the agency has initiated formal investigations into the suspended institutions. He pointed out that to preserve food quality and safety for meal recipients, adherence to sanitary laws is still required.
The extensive suspensions coincide with growing criticism of the ambitious program, which was implemented countrywide in January of last year, due to issues with food safety, accusations of corruption, and unstable leadership.
After consuming subsidised school meals, almost 2,000 children and teachers in several provinces became ill just last week. As of September 1, at least 50,000 people had experienced food poisoning connected to the initiative, according to health department data quoted by Congressman Charles Honoris, who is in charge of the rollout.
According to the National Nutrition Agency, key transport delays and poor storage conditions cause prepared rations to spoil before they reach classrooms, which accounts for the great majority of foodborne illness incidents.
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As inspections continue around the country, agency officials promised to take decisive action against the most recent epidemic and vendor infractions.
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