In the ten months since the Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis, MBG) program was launched, more than 11,000 students and school staff have suffered food poisoning, including many severe cases. In this episode of Talking Indonesia, the host speaks with Dr. Irma Hidayana, a public health consultant and co-initiator of MBG Watch, an advocacy network promoting accountability in the Free Nutritious Meals program.

In an article for New Mandala, Amelie Katczynski reflects on Laos' internal public health developments, which pursues a vision of socialist health care that emerged during the Lao revolution. Yet, as challenges persist, Lao nursing students train to be vanguards of health development, training beyond nursing skills, playing the role of developing citizens and citizen-developers.