BGN Head Assures Depapres Jayapura SPPG Head Removed due to MBG Poisoning Case

Head of BGN Sudaryono (third from right) in a coordination meeting on refocusing MBG recipients at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture's office, Jakarta, Thursday (6/8/2026). (ANTARA/Lintang Budiyanti Prameswari)

JAKARTA - The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Sudaryono confirmed that he had removed the head of the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) after the Free Nutrition Meal (MBG) poisoning incident in Depapre District, Jayapura Regency.

"Yes, we have removed it," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, August 6.

He emphasized that BGN had also sent a team to investigate the poisoning case and found that the cooking time at the SPPG was too fast, so that the food was distributed to students too long after cooking time.

"Based on the system we have and the recognition after the chronology, they started cooking it too quickly, at 7 p.m. the day before they started cooking, so it was given at 11 p.m., and there were also some who were poisoned, I saw that some of them had been brought in damaged condition, then we are still validating it, there are children who bring home their MBG," he explained.

Previously, it was reported that a number of students in Depapre District, Jayapura Regency, Papua, were suspected of poisoning after consuming MBG on Wednesday (5/8) morning.

After undergoing treatment at the Jayapura Central General Hospital (RSUP), the eight patients suspected of experiencing the food safety incident gradually improved, and one patient was allowed to go home.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Papua Provincial Health Office, dr. Beeri Wopari, said that the handling of food poisoning victims in Depapre District, Jayapura Regency, began to show positive developments on the third day after the incident.

According to him, based on epidemiological developments, the number of new cases continues to decline and the condition of most patients who are still undergoing treatment is gradually improving.

"Acute cases have been greatly reduced compared to the first and second days. The addition of new cases has also decreased significantly, even until this afternoon there have been no reports of new cases," he said.