Over 20,000 Syphilis Cases Reported in Indonesia in 2022, Affecting Everyone from Sex Workers' Clients to Pregnant Women

The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) recorded 20,783 confirmed syphilis infections throughout Indonesia in 2022.

The majority of syphilis patients were male (54%), while 46% were female.

By type, syphilis was most prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM), accounting for 28% of cases. This was followed by pregnant women (27%) and high-risk partners (9%).

Furthermore, 9% of syphilis patients were female sex workers (FSWs), 4% were clients of sex workers (CSWs), 0.15% were Injection Drug Users (IDUs), 3% were transgender individuals, and 20% belonged to other groups.

Based on age group, the majority of syphilis patients (63%) were aged 25-49 years. This was followed by the 20-24 age group (23%) and the 15-19 age group (6%).

Another 5% of patients were over 50 years old. Syphilis was also found in children: 3% under 4 years old and 0.24% aged 5-15 years.

“We focus on case detection through early syphilis screening at the population level, particularly among vulnerable and high-risk populations, using standardized rapid tests that provide quick results, so that positive cases can be treated immediately,” said Imran Pambudi, Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases at Kemenkes, as quoted by Antara on Thursday (May 15, 2023).

Imran stated that several factors contributing to the high number of syphilis cases are closely related to risky sexual behavior without condom use. He also mentioned that certain groups frequently change partners during sex, including men who have sex with men.

Imran noted that a concerning statistic from 2022 was the 5,590 pregnant women who tested positive for syphilis, while only 2,227 received treatment.

Nevertheless, Imran emphasized that everyone should refrain from stigmatizing syphilis sufferers so that they can receive prompt treatment and prevent severe complications. He highlighted that syphilis can be transmitted from pregnant mothers to their unborn children, potentially leading to birth defects or congenital syphilis.

Therefore, Kemenkes focuses on case detection in vulnerable and high-risk populations to address syphilis cases in Indonesia. This includes providing sexual health education to high-risk groups and disseminating information on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) to the general public.