"We focus on finding cases by conducting early screening for syphilis at the population level, especially vulnerable and high-risk populations using standardized rapid tests and fast results, so that if a positive result is found it can be treated immediately," said the Director of Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Ministry of Health Imran Pambudi in Jakarta, Thursday, 11 May 2023.
Based on data compiled by the Ministry of Health in 2022, he explained patient profiles based on gender, 46 percent of the female group was confirmed to have syphilis and the male group reached 54 percent.
Groups Most Infected with Syphilis
In the age group based on the same data, there are three percent of children under the age of four affected by syphilis. Followed by ages 5-14 years 0.24 percent, 15-19 years six percent, 20-24 years 23 percent, and ages under 50 years there are five percent.The highest cases were found in the age group of 25-49 years reaching 63 percent. Imran explained that syphilis sufferers were mostly found in men who had sex with men (MSM) by 28 percent.
Then, pregnant women 27 percent, high-risk couples (risti) nine percent, women sex workers (WPS) nine percent, sex worker customers (PPS) four percent, injection drug users (IDUs) 0.15 percent, transgender three percent, and another 20 percent.
Causes of Syphilis Contagion
He explained that some of the causes of many cases of syphilis are closely related to the behavior of people who like to have risky sex without using safety devices.In addition, there are certain groups who often change partners during sex, to men who have sex with the same sex.
Imran said this condition was very concerning because as many as 5,590 pregnant women tested positive for syphilis. While those who had received treatment were around 2,227 mothers.
According to him, every party must stop prejudice against syphilis sufferers, so that sufferers can be treated immediately and its severity prevented. This is because syphilis has the potential to be transmitted from pregnant women to the child they are carrying and opens the potential for babies to be born with defects or have congenital syphilis.
Coping with the Syphilis Surge
In order to overcome syphilis, the Ministry of Health claims to focus on finding cases in vulnerable and high-risk populations.While intensifying the antigen rapid test, the Ministry of Health is also taking preventive steps by disseminating sexual education to high-risk groups and also STI information to the general public, as an intervention for changing stigma and discrimination (IPSD) which essentially strengthens health services at health facilities and case detection.
“Thus, we ensure that access to STI services is of high quality for all populations. STI transmission will also continue to be reduced by targeting key populations, partners and customers, while ensuring quality data to guide responses to disease (syphilis)," he said. (Kevin Omar Schreiber)
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