VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update

Eleven pupils of St James Primary School, Owo-Ope, Osogbo, capital of Osun State, on Monday were rushed to different hospitals in the metropolis after eating food served to them in school.

According to the parents of the affected children, the food that was served on Monday by some food vendors recruited by the state government under the O’Meal programme was a contaminated meal.

They said the affected pupils started experiencing stomach upset and were vomiting no sooner than they returned home from school.

Upon interrogation, the children disclosed that the O’Meal vendors served each of them a plate of rice with egg.

Report shows that victims were receiving drips on their sickbeds in the hospital in Osogbo.

One of the pupils confirmed that they started stooling and vomiting when they left school around 1:00pm.

Some of the mothers of the children expressed anger and alleged that they perceived rotten eggs from the mouths of the victims.

One of the parents said that her child was vomiting blood before he was rushed to the hospital.

They urged the state government to investigate the activities of the O’Meal vendors in the school.

Government reacts

Similarly, Osun state government has ordered full investigations into the reported cases of food poisoning at St James primary School B ,Owoope Osogbo

In a statement signed by Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, Honourable Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, the State Governor, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke directed immediate action when the matter was reported to him by the Special Adviser on O-Meal, Mrs Grace Oluwaseyi Ayodele.

The Governor has subsequently directed stoppage of further food cooking at the affected school pending the outcome of the investigations.

The affected cooks in the said schools alongside the Planning officer for the O-Meal programme have also been summoned to a meeting by Tuesday morning.

Additionally , the Governor has directed enforcement of food standard and control as well as the auditing of the O-Meal structure to forestall future occurrence.

Meanwhile, the Government is settling the medical bills of the affected students as narrated by the Chairman of the Local Government Education Authority, Mr Nathaniel Ojetola.

The LGEA Chairman who was at the forefront of the intervention efforts disclosed that a total number of 18 students were treated and discharged.

The total student population of the school is two hundred while one hundred and three are within the population receiving food from the O-Meal Programme.

A government delegation is also visiting families of the affected students,” statement reads.