BGN: 4,700 MBG Portions Cause Health Disorders

JAKARTA - The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) presented the results of mapping in three regions throughout Indonesia and found that 4,700 portions of Free Nutrition (MBG) had caused health problems in students.

"Until today, BGN has made one billion servings of food, but there are 4,700 that cause health problems for children, and we regret that. We continue to tighten the mechanism," said Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, September 22.

Dadan emphasized that every Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) can start with a small amount to suppress cases of poisoning or health problems in children at school.

"We ask the SPPG to start with a small number, so if they have a list of 3,500 people covered by 20 schools, then the first day they are advised to serve two schools first, after being able to serve, gradually rise," he explained.

Dadan also said that most of the incidents of health problems arose because of the emergence of a new SPPG and the average new SPPG needed to be controlled.

"So every SPPG needs to mitigate early and we carry out our own investigations related to incidents of digestive disorders in students," he said.

The following are the results of mapping and causing cases of health problems based on the area submitted by the Head of BGN:

1. Region 1, Sumatra Island, there are seven cases with 1,281 people experiencing health problems; 2. Area 2, Java Island, there are 27 cases that cause 2,606 people to experience health problems; 3. Region 3, including Kalimantan, Bali, Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, to Papua, there are 11 cases that cause 824 people to experience health problems.

Dadan reminded all SPPGs to really pay attention to the management of materials when they were about to replace suppliers, following the latest case in Banggai Islands, South Sulawesi, which caused 329 people to experience health problems due to the poor processing of skipjack fish.

"Kami kemudian mengingatkan dengan adanya kejadian di Banggai itu, agar mitra kalau mau mengganti supplier harus dilakukan bertahap, karena khususnya untuk calalang kalau tidak membansi dengan baik, memang calalang ini sangat terbukti terhadapler, dan bahkan ada yang bisa menghati, jadi memang harus sangat berhati-hati," ucap Dadan Hindayana.