Osun State Halts School Feeding Programme After Food Poisoning Incident

The Osun State Government has launched an investigation into a food poisoning incident at St. James Primary School B, Osogbo, which resulted in 18 students being hospitalized. The students fell ill after consuming a mid-day meal provided under the state’s free school feeding programme.

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The government has ordered a halt to food preparation at the affected school until the investigation is concluded. The directive was issued by the State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who took immediate action upon receiving the report.

The victims have since been treated and discharged from the hospital. The government is covering the medical expenses of the affected students, as confirmed by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr. Nathaniel Ojetola.

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In addition to the investigation, the governor has ordered a review of the O-Meal programme structure to prevent future occurrences. The cooks involved in the incident, along with the planning officer for the O-Meal programme, have been summoned for a meeting.

The incident, which occurred on Monday, sparked widespread concern among parents, some of whom shared videos of their children in hospital on social media. In one video, three students were seen receiving intravenous treatment.

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According to the victims, they started experiencing symptoms of illness after eating rice and egg served at school. Parents also reported a foul smell from the eggs their children brought home from school, raising further concerns about the food served by the vendor.