Eleven pupils of St James’s Primary School ‘B’, Owoope, Osogbo, were reportedly hospitalised following the consumption of a mid-day meal served to them under the free school feeding programme of the state government.
It was gathered that the pupils started stooling and vomiting on getting home after school hours on Monday and were taken to different hospitals for care by their parents who lamented that the mid-day meal taken earlier at school was responsible for their children’s ailments.
Some of the pupils were seen in a viral video being attended to by health workers in the hospitals they were admitted to, some on drips while others were being attended to.
Meanwhile, the state government has directed a comprehensive investigation into the unfortunate incident with a view of bringing those culpable to book and forestall future occurrence.
A statement by the state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi in Osogbo on Tuesday, said the governor, Ademola Adeleke directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him.
According to the statement the victims have been treated and discharged from hospitals, while the government has decided to foot the bills for the treatment of the victims.
The statement read in part:, “Osun State Government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B, Owoope Osogbo
“The State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Ayodele. The Governor has subsequently directed the stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.
