Osun: 18 Pupils  Hospitalised After School Meal, Governor Adeleke Calls For Immediate Probe

By Akinwale Kasali

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has called for the immediate probe of what led to the hospitalization of 18 Pupils of St. James Primary School, Owoope, Ayetori, Osogbo, after a meal in the school. The pupils were rushed to different hospitals around Ayetoro on Monday after eating the suspected contaminated meal.

The meal – rice and egg –  was served to them by Government approved vendors of the state free school meal, tagged O’Meals, during the break period.

After eating the meal, it was gathered that pupils were began to  defecate continuously, and were rushed to the hospital around the community, where it was discovered that they suffered from food poisoning.

Parents of the affected pupils, who got to the hospital at different times, quickly raised the alarm that the affected pupils were affected by the meal they ate in school.

Reacting to this development, the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said in a statement that Governor Adeleke has ordered a full investigation into the matter.

While disclosing that the State Government will foot the hospital bills of the affected pupils, it added that food supply to the school has been put on hold, and a meeting of the affected cooks has also been summoned immediately.

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

“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”, it reads partly.