What are the health hazards in and around Blok M?
Blok M is no more hazardous to health than anywhere else in Jakarta, and probably safer than many other places.
Walking can be hazardous as the streets and pavements are full of potholes and broken and uneven paving slabs. The advice is to tread carefully - especially after a skinful of beer.
The food served in the bars and discos is generally regarded as safe, and standards of hygiene are probably better than most other local eating places. Most of the items on the menus are cooked to order from fresh or frozen ingredients and served up without delay.
The ice served in drinks is safe. It's made from purified water and can be trusted.
The fire hazard in the bars and discos is a cause for concern. Most don't have any visible fire extinguishers, there are few fire exit signs, and windows are barred for security reasons. Most of the buildings only have a single entrance - Oscars is the exception, there's a back exit next to the toilets that opens into an alley. D's Place now has a clearly marked emergency exit in the upstairs bar.
What are the risks when taking a girl?
SD infection is thankfully low among Blok M girls. The most common SD is a relatively mild strain of gonorrhoea, there's a lot of chlamydia about, but syphilis is very rare. Many of the girls, especially the younger ones, are pretty clueless about SDs and don't realise they're infected until the symptoms are at an advanced stage - by which time they've been sexually active (and highly contagious) for a week or two.
It's also important to remember that most of the regular girls have local boyfriends, and many are married. Indonesian attitudes to contraception are mixed - and despite the best efforts of the health authorities to educate people about the dangers and consequences of SDs, men generally (and especially those with limited education) don't accept the use of condoms.
What personal precautions should I take?
The only way to be completely safe is to use condoms at all times. The girls are notoriously promiscuous, and having a long-time regular girlfriend or live-in partner is no guarantee that she hasn't got other sexual contacts.
Beware - locally-produced rubber goods are of markedly inferior quality compared with imported brands, and the size is too small for most westerners. Many of the sexually active guys report having experienced torn and split condoms. If you're visiting, or on a short stay, stock up with prophylactics before you come.
How do I know if I've contracted something nasty?
Be aware of the symptoms and look out for them. The onset of gonorrhoea generally occurs between three to five days after contact, and is sometimes signalled by excessive urination that may or may not be accompanied by pain, followed by a yellowish-white discharge that occurs sporadically at first, and then becomes continuous. In cases where there is little natural resistance to the infection some slight feverishness and painful inflammation of the urethra may occur.
Chlamydia is more difficult to spot as it doesn't generally produce any pain or other symptoms likely to cause distress. Look out for a slight, almost residual, greyish discharge - especially in the morning.
The standard treatment for gonorrhoea is a double course of antibiotics - a massive initial high-power dose followed by a week's dosage of lower-strength tablets. There are several strains of gonorrhoea about in Jakarta, at least one of which is reported to be resistant to the standard antibiotic treatment.
What should I do if I think I've got an infection?
Don't delay. See a doctor immediately. The quicker it's diagnosed and treated, the better the chance of a rapid and complete recovery. The nearest private clinic to Blok M is AEA Medika (also known as SOS Medika), which is located on Jalan Antasari (due south of Blok M, about three kilometres down the main road). It's a one-stop visit as AEA Medika will carry out a while-you-wait swab test and their pharmacy will dispense prescribed drugs on the spot.
The advice given by doctors is to err on the side of caution before resuming unprotected sexual activity - even after the symptoms have subsided and the discharge has stopped, there is a risk of transmitting the infection for several days. A week's abstinence is recommended.
If you're certain you know which girl gave you the infection, do pass the word round the other guys to warn them off - and depending on how well you know them, the bar owners or managers. The last thing they want is for their bar to get a reputation as a place with infected girls, and they'll normally make sure the girl concerned is sorted out and told to get medical treatment.