“4 Alarming Facts About Syphilis Cases in Indonesia – Is Your Family at Risk?”

Jakarta –

Syphilis, also known as the lion king, is a sexually transmitted disease caused by a bacterial infection. This disease is not only experienced by adults, but can also be transmitted to children from their parents.

Until now, syphilis is still a concern of the Indonesian Ministry of Health because the number of cases of this disease has continued to increase in recent years, including the number of cases in children.

Here are 4 facts about syphilis cases in RI which are increasingly rampant.

1. An increase of 70 percent in the last five years

According to the Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes), the number of syphilis cases has increased by up to 70 percent in the last five years.

In 2018, syphilis cases were recorded to reach a total of 12,484 cases. This number continues to increase and will become 20,783 cases in 2022.

“So patients who are found each year continue to increase, until now it has experienced a jump of up to 70 percent,” said Ministry of Health spokesperson Dr. Mohammad Syahril in a press conference held by the Ministry of Health online, Monday (8/5/2023).

“So every year there is an average addition of 17-20 thousand, this needs to be a concern for us,” he added.

2. Only 41 percent received treatment

The problem lies not only in the high increase in cases, but also in the low number of patients receiving proper treatment. Syahril said only about 41 percent were undergoing treatment.

“The remaining 60 percent don’t get treatment and have the potential to infect and cause defects in children who are born,” said Syahril.

According to Syahril, the low rate of treatment is also influenced by the persistence of negative stigma in society which makes many people ashamed to seek treatment.

“The low level of treatment is due to stigma and shame. Every year, out of five million pregnancies, only 25 percent of pregnant women are screened for syphilis. Out of 1.2 million pregnant women, 5,590 are positive for syphilis,” he explained further.

3. Early symptoms of syphilis include itching and sores in the genital area

Symptoms of syphilis are generally characterized by the appearance of a rash, itching and sores in the genital area. Quoted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, apart from itching, rash, or sores in the genital area, symptoms of syphilis also include:

• Fever
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Headache
• Weight loss
• Muscle ache
• Feeling tired

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