A school meal program was paused in Peru after being blamed for children who fell ill in different regions of the country.
Almost 100 children fell sick in Piura at the beginning of April after consuming food provided by the Wasi Mikuna program, which includes 4.2 million students throughout the country.
Diseases were reported in Bagua, where 25 students symptoms of food poisoning members after eating bread and milk. In Coishco, 15 students became sick after breakfast with bread, eggs and milk. Other students also got sick.
The program was also connected to diseases in 2024 when it was called Qali Warma.
Stop to school food for school
During a commission session, the Minister of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIs), Leslie Urteaga Peña, after the incident in Piura and other regions on security guarantees for food for students, came to the Minister of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIs).
Urteaga said that the suspension of the Wasi Mikuna program was agreed in mid-April and that a state of emergency for the school food service was explained before the program was re-designed. This process has a deadline of December 31, 2025.
There is a pilot program in Piura, Cusco and Ayacucho for 35 schools where supplies are purchased at local markets.
She said that 20 officials were fired in 2024 for alleged corruption.
Midis has opened legal proceedings against officials related to the school food program. Charges have also been filed against food suppliers for alleged crimes against public health and public trust.
Urteaga also appears in a plenary session on 6 May to answer questions about the current and previous incident.
Issues include the measures that are taken to stop potentially polluted food batches, actions that are taken against the responsible and progress in the disciplinary procedure against former officials of the outer Qali Warma program involved in alleged corruption.
At the beginning of April, MIDIs were informed by Sanipes (National Fisheries Health Organization of Peru) that the Agency had suspended the activities of a company called Karsol for violating various standards. The company is a provider of canned fish for the Wasi Mikuna program. The company said that possible storage disruptions would be in default.
The office of the public prosecutor said that a preliminary investigation has been opened into the alleged crime against public health after the reported poisoning.
Earlier this month, officials carried out a surprise inspection at Consorcio Granix Eirl, a provider for the school meal program. These facilities found were in good condition, as well as good measurements for pest control, facilities for operational personnel and clean and orderly production and storage areas.
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