“This expansion shows the management’s commitment to ensuring better health for people who live in or are visiting our city. After all, we are in the carnival period, a time when many tourists come here. So, certainly, expanding the PEP offer will greatly benefit our population”, highlights Vanessa Correia, deputy manager of the Sexually Transmitted Infections Center at Semusa. 

Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is an urgent prevention measure for HIV infection. The proposal consists of the daily use of medications to reduce the risk of acquiring the virus.

Who can take it?

Anyone who has been a victim of a risk situation, called exposure, which is when a condom breaks, unprotected sex, sexual violence, cuts with syringes, among others, can use PEP.

In PEP, antiretroviral pills for HIV must be taken for 28 days, without interruption, under medical supervision after assessing the risk. After that, 30 days from the date on which the exposure occurred, the patient returns to the Health Unit to monitor the case, take a new test and find out the diagnosis.

To use it, the patient at risk must look for one of the above units with a SUS or CPF card and request the medication. It is worth noting that PEP must be used within 72 hours after exposure.

The use of condoms is not ruled out, even for those taking the medication