The students of SD Pandanrejo reportedly came down with headaches and stomachaches after drinking 100 milliliters of packaged milk supplied by the school. The students were taken to the emergency unit of Puskesmas Bumiaji, Batu, at 9:15 a.m.

Leonardo Simarmata, a second grader, said he felt dizzy and nauseous after drinking milk distributed before class.  “I drank it during recess,” said Leonardo.

Puskesmas Bumiaji head Suhariono said the students were taken by their teacher to the health center. They were ashen faced and felt faint – two common symptoms of food poisoning.

“We took some medical measures, such as giving them Norit [charcoal] pills to neutralize any poison in their bodies.”

SD Pandanrejo principal Khomsiatin said the milk distribution was part of the Batu administration’s nutrition supplementation program and done on a weekly basis.

“I don’t know how this could happen. Last week, we gave them milk of a similar brand and packaging and nothing happened,” she said.

“In total, 16 students from the second and fifth grades fell ill. Shortly after they showed symptoms of poisoning, I ordered all teachers to take back any milk that the students had not drunk." (ebf)

Take a deep breath: A health worker checks the condition of a student from state elementary school SDN Pandanrejo in Batu city, East Java, at community health center Puskesmas Bumiaji, on Sept.6. (JP/Aman Rochman)