An investigation has been opened into the provider of a school feeding program in Peru after more than a dozen students fell ill earlier this year.
Prosecutors are pursuing allegations of bribery by a company that supplied food to schools as part of the Qali Warma program to avoid responsibility for 16 children falling ill in March.
The Fiscalía Especializada and Delitos de Corrupción de Funcionarios de Puno visited the offices of Qali Warma and the Regional Health Directorate (Diresa) of Puno, as well as the educational institution Gamaliel Churata.
A representative of the Frigoinca company is under suspicion for allegedly supplying gifts to a Diresa official to influence the analysis of samples collected as part of the investigation into the disease of schoolchildren in the Cabana district, San Román province.
Following a report broadcast by the Punto Final program, the Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion (MIDIS) has ordered, through the Public Prosecution Service, to file a criminal complaint against the company and the official involved.
MIDIS condemned any manipulation of procedures and health assessments that may have been carried out by staff of the Puno Regional Health Directorate.
Distribution of products stopped
The authorities have suspended the release, distribution and consumption of Don Simón brand food produced by Frigoinca. Qali Warma will hire an outside agency to conduct nationwide sampling of all Don Simón brand canned meat products to determine suitability.
Pedro Ripalda Ramírez, executive director of the National School Food Program Qali Warma, said: “There are no half measures here, there is no support for any supplier, anyone who endangers school meals will be punished, not only from a legal point of view. opinion, but will also no longer be a supplier of Qali Warma.”
The blocked product will be replaced with another brand or product with the same calories and nutrients that has the necessary health records and certificates to ensure the school feeding program can continue.
The Directorate General of Environmental Health (Digesa) has been asked to carry out sanitary surveillance and monitoring of products distributed in Puno, as well as on all batches, in warehouses and at the supplier’s factory in Chepén, La Libertad.
Officials also verified that warehouses of preschool and primary education institutions have suspended the use of Don Simón brand items until their quality is guaranteed.
“As is well known, Don Simón brand products are banned and we monitor all educational institutions. We have determined that they comply with all current health regulations. Everything is in accordance with the operation,” said Efrain Yanarico Quispe.
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