Osun Free Meal: 18 pupils hospitalised, Govt begins probe
By Jeleel Olawale, Osogbo
Osun State Government has begun an investigation into the reported case of about 18 pupils of James Primary School B, Osogbo, who reportedly landed in the hospitals after eating a mid-day meal served to them under the free school feeding programme of the state government.
The government also directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, obtained in Osogbo on Tuesday, said the governor, Ademola Adeleke directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him.
According to the statement the victims have been treated and discharged from hospitals.
The statement read, “Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo.”
“The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Ayodele. The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.
“The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning. Additionally, the governor has directed enforcement of food standards and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrences.
“Meanwhile, the government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola. The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.
“The total student population of the school is 200 while 103 are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme. A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students.”
The incident which happened on Monday, caused panic, especially among parents of the affected pupils, who shared videos of them on hospital beds on social media.
In one of the videos obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday, three of the victims were recorded receiving drip.
Narrating how they became ill, one of the victims said they were served rice with egg, after which they started running stool.
Also in the video, mothers of the victims, said they observed foul smell of the egg their children were served when they returned home from school on Monday.
They said their children started stooling not long after returning from school, raising concerns about the food the vendor served them. They demanded an investigation into the development to prevent reoccurrence.
