DENPASAR, OborDewata.com – The province of Bali contributes 1,011 cases of syphilis to the national statistics. The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) reported a total of 6,885 cases of gonorrhea and syphilis in Indonesia in 2024. This time, syphilis is more prevalent among children under 15 years old, particularly those aged 15-19.
In Bali, the majority of syphilis cases are found in individuals over 20 years old, with the highest numbers located in Denpasar City and Badung Regency. The Head of Bali’s Health Department, I Nyoman Gede Anom, explained that this is due to a sense of curiosity and the desire to try new things as teenagers transition into adulthood.
“This leads to risk-taking behaviors without considering the consequences that may follow. Additionally, the unrestricted access to social media, where the veracity of information cannot be guaranteed, makes teenagers easily influenced by their surroundings, leading to promiscuous sexual behavior,” he stated on Friday (12/6/2024).
The prevalence of syphilis is higher in Denpasar City and Badung Regency due to the high mobility of the population and the availability of services for HIV and syphilis testing.
According to data on syphilis cases by age in Bali from January to September 2024, the Bali Health Department recorded a total of 1,011 detected syphilis cases during this period. The highest number was detected among patients aged 25-49 years, totaling 648 cases.
This was followed by 261 cases in the 20-24 age group, 68 cases in the 15-19 age group, 28 cases in those over 50 years old, 5 cases in children aged 0-4 years, and 1 case in children aged 5-14 years. The highest number of cases was detected in Denpasar City, with 547 cases, predominantly among those aged 25-49 years, totaling 352 cases.
In Badung Regency, there were 256 cases, with patients aged 25-49 accounting for all 256 cases. Meanwhile, in 2023, the total number of syphilis cases in Bali was 1,694.
The highest number of cases was in the 25-49 age group, reaching 1,109. This was followed by 365 cases in the 20-24 age group, 132 cases in the 15-19 age group, 62 cases in those over 50 years, 20 cases in those under 1 year, and 6 cases in the 1-14 age group. ri/nda/sathya
