Mukti explained that as long as the poisoning case is not categorized as an extraordinary event, the fund users can claim the benefit amount.
"As long as it’s not declared an extraordinary event. If it’s a local outbreak, then the responsibility lies with the regional government," he said in Jakarta.
However, he emphasized that this coverage is strictly applied to registered BPJS Kesehatan participants.
"BPJS Kesehatan only guarantees its members. How could BPJS cover people who are not participants?" he mentioned.
As of mid-September 2023, the Ministry of Health has reported at least 60 cases involving 5,207 victims from the poisoning food linked to the MBG program.
Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) has recorded 55 cases involving 5,320 victims, making West Java the province with the highest number of reported cases.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that data regarding the suspected poisoning cases in the MBG will be made public through the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
Budi said that the data has been collected daily by the Ministry of Health through a network of community health centers (puskesmas) across Indonesia and has been submitted to BGN for further verification.
"The data is already available and we have shared it with BGN. BGN will be the one to release it," he stated.
He explained that the reports received come from the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG)—the dedicated MBG kitchens—in schools, which are connected to the reporting system at the community health centers (puskesmas).
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Translator: Anita Permata, Kuntum Khaira
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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