Bishkek City Hall Tightens School Meal Oversight After Mass Food Poisoning

A mass food poisoning incident at a Bishkek school has prompted city authorities to intensify oversight of school meal programs. Eighty children and four adults were affected after consuming shawarma (flatbread wraps filled with grilled meat) prepared with allegedly poor-quality ingredients, according to the Bishkek City Hall. The Bishkek Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology has launched an inspection of all schools in the capital. Dozens of children sought medical care, reporting symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Twelve individuals were hospitalized, while the remaining victims are receiving outpatient treatment. The school cafeteria involved has been shut down pending an epidemiological investigation. Deputy Mayor of Bishkek Victoria Mozgacheva met with the school's director and underscored the zero-tolerance policy for violations of the approved meal plan and sanitary protocols. “All general education institutions in the capital, regardless of their ownership, have been ordered to strictly follow the approved meal regulations,” the mayor’s office stated. “Any deviation from the menu, which is approved in consultation with medical and epidemiological experts, is strictly prohibited.” Preliminary findings suggest the source of the poisoning may have been improperly handled chicken used in the shawarma served. In response, Bishkek authorities have instructed schools to tighten food quality control measures. The Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan has also initiated legislation to ban the sale of unhealthy food products in close proximity to schools.