BGN imposes moratorium on new MBG kitchens, shifts focus to mothers and toddlers

The National Nutrition Agency is restructuring the Free Nutritious Meals program with four steps: narrowing the target recipients, halting new kitchen construction, fixing kitchens already in operation, and preparing a new scheme for 3T areas. BGN head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang said the program will now be directed at pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. In a meeting in Jakarta, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the Health Ministry is ready to provide child health and nutrition experts to support the changes. The overhaul comes after MBG Watch sealed the BGN office and gave it 30 days to conduct a full review of MBG governance. Pressure on BGN also increased after the Attorney General's Office named former BGN leaders Dadan Hindayana, Sony Sonjaya, and Lodewyk Pusung as suspects in an alleged corruption case covering 2025-2026.