October 1, 2025 | 07:55 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Karisa, a toddler from Kadungora District, Garut Regency, West Java, was found lying unconscious in the treatment room of the local community health center. She is suspected to have been poisoned after consuming free nutritious meal.
This little girl arrived with her parents on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at around 8:30 p.m. However, not long after, the medical team referred her to Dr. Slamet Garut Regional General Hospital. She was transported by an ambulance, hooked up to IV drips and an oxygen tube.
Hundreds of other elementary school students experienced similar symptoms. A total of 131 received treatment at the Kadungora and Leles health centers, three of whom had to be referred to the hospital. "The information we received is that little Karisa consumed the free meal brought home by her sibling from school," said Noni Cahyana, the Head of the Kadungora Community Health Center, on Tuesday, September 30, 2025.
A similar incident occurred in Kadungora on September 16, 2025. A total of 657 students showed symptoms of food poisoning, with 30 of them needing treatment at the local health center. However, this time, the number of individuals requiring medical treatment is higher than before.
As a result of this incident, the local government has declared it an extraordinary occurrence (KLB). As of 10:00 p.m., a number of students were still coming to the health centers. "Based on the meeting's results, we affirm once again that the condition earlier required special treatment, therefore we declare it as a KLB," said Garut Regent, Abdusy Syakur Amin, at the Kadungora Community Health Center.
Therefore, Syakur continued, all medical expenses will be covered by the local government using unforeseen expenses. He has also instructed the local government officials to comb through the residents. If any poisoning symptoms are found, they should be taken to the health center or contact the medical team to receive immediate treatment.
"I have instructed the sub-district head, don't ignore the situation. Don't be afraid of the costs. They (the poisoned residents) must be well taken care of," said Syakur.
These poisoning symptoms were experienced by students of public elementary school (SDN) 3 Talagasari, public junior high school (SMPN) 1 Kadungora, SMP PGRI, and high school (SMA) Annisa Kadungora. Their symptoms included shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Packaged milk is suspected to be the cause of the poisoning. The drink was delivered to the school at 8:00 a.m. and started to be distributed during the break at 10:00 a.m.
Meanwhile, the distribution of rice to students was done at 12:00 p.m. "After tasting the milk, I felt nauseous and dizzy and vomited twice," said Lili Muhamad Solih, 33 years old, a staff member of SMPN 1 Kadungora.
Member of Commission IV, Garut Regional House of Representatives, Yudha Puja Turnawan, requested the free nutritious meal task force to temporarily halt the operation of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) kitchens. This is because almost all SPPG kitchens in Garut do not have a hygienic sanitation eligibility certificate (LSHS). "I have repeatedly asked for a temporary suspension. After the LSHS permit is issued, then the SPPG can operate," he said.
Not only that, Yudha also requested the free nutritious meal task force to oversee the supply chain of ingredients for each public kitchen. This is to ensure the food safety procedures for meals given to the students are properly guaranteed.
"The information we received is that the milk came from outside the region. Now, this supply chain also needs to be supervised," he said.
The cause of the previous food poisoning cases in Garut has not been identified, as the lab test results have yet to be issued. Meanwhile, for the current poisoning case, the medical team has sent vomit samples for testing at the regional laboratory.
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