For the first time in a decade, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis have gone up so high with them showing no signs of slowing down. Other examples of sexually transmitted diseases include genital warts, HIV, bacterial vaginosis, trichomoniasis, human papillomavirus (HPV) and pubic lice or crabs.

In the U.S alone, sexually transmitted diseases are said to affect an estimated 19 million men and women annually with gay men, commercial sex workers and young teenagers among the groups that are mostly affected. Some STDs have such adverse effects that if left untreated, the consequences can be irreversible, not to mention other health conditions that might develop.

For pregnant women especially, one cannot afford not to test for STDs or stay with untreated STDs because of the dangerous effects that the infections may have on unborn children.

Doctors say the reason that there are so many cases is because those who have the STIs continue to spread them instead of getting treatment. Those who have the STIs do not go for testing because they find it embarrassing.

With this in mind, a doctor from Indiana, while attending a conference in Vegas, got the idea to come up with an application to help those who do not wish to get tested. “What happens in Vegas does not necessarily stay in Vegas so we need to create something to help people”, Dr. Olusegon Ishmael said.

The doctor compared the free lifestyle he saw at Vegas and the number of STD patients he sees at the emergency at the hospital and got the idea to create an application for such people. Together with a business partner, they came up with Besafemeds.

How does the Application Work?

The application works by providing a direct link between an individual who may be thinking that he/she has an STD and a nurse or a doctor. The person is then expected to list his/her symptoms online without leaving out anything. Diagnosis is made possible since common STDs are easier to diagnose without a doctor’s visit, swab or urine sample. After the person gets the diagnosis, he/she should then head to the nearest pharmacy to get a prescription.

The service is available at a cost of $20 only. Apart from the online diagnosis, the doctor hopes that sex education will be part of the application after some time. In addition, the doctor and his partner hope to partner with companies that offer contraception solutions in order to add such information to the app for the future.

The application is aimed at targeting people who completely refuse to go for STDs testing at health clinics. However, in the event that the symptoms are more severe, people are advised to visit a doctor in person.

Besafemeds makes it possible for those who have issues of perception and judgment to be able to take care of themselves as well as their significant others. The application is said to launch in early 2017 and hopes to have a positive impact on the growing number of people infected with STDs as well as those who spread it.