What to expect
Prevention at PVT covers four things. The hepatitis B vaccine, a three-dose course that gives long-lasting protection against a virus that can quietly damage the liver. The HPV vaccine, which protects against the strains responsible for most cervical cancers and genital warts, and is useful for men and women. PrEP, a daily tablet that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV by around 99% when taken consistently. And PEP, an emergency 28-day course started within 72 hours of a possible HIV exposure.
PEP deserves its own sentence: it is time-critical. If you think you were exposed to HIV, through a broken condom, an assault, or any other route, contact us or any emergency facility immediately. Every hour matters, and PEP started early is highly effective at preventing infection from taking hold.
A prevention visit starts with the standard R700 consult, where your doctor confirms what you need, runs any baseline tests through an accredited pathology laboratory, and prescribes or administers on the spot. Vaccines and medication are consumables billed separately at cost, and your doctor will tell you those prices before anything is given.
What’s included
Hepatitis B vaccination (three-dose course)
HPV vaccination for men and women
PrEP initiation with baseline testing and scheduled reviews
PEP, started urgently within 72 hours of exposure
Risk assessment matched to your actual life, without judgement
Baseline and follow-up tests via an accredited pathology laboratory
Where and what it costs
milnerton | table-view
From
R700
R700 consult plus the vaccine or medication, billed separately at cost. laboratory bills baseline tests separately.
Frequently asked
Who should consider PrEP?
Anyone with an ongoing chance of HIV exposure: people with an HIV-positive partner whose viral load is not confirmed undetectable, people with multiple or new partners who do not always use condoms, and anyone who has needed PEP before. Taken daily, PrEP reduces the risk of acquiring HIV from sex by around 99%.
Is PEP urgent?
Yes, genuinely urgent. PEP must start within 72 hours of a possible HIV exposure, and it works best when started within the first 24. If you think you have been exposed, contact PVT or your nearest emergency facility today, not tomorrow. The course runs for 28 days.
Am I too old for the HPV vaccine?
The vaccine works best before first exposure to HPV, which is why it is routinely given from age nine. It remains licensed and useful for many adults up to 45, because few people have met every strain the vaccine covers. Your doctor will advise whether it still offers you meaningful protection.
How many doses do the vaccines need?
Hepatitis B is a three-dose course over six months, with the option of a blood test afterwards to confirm immunity. HPV vaccination is two doses for younger teenagers and three doses for adults, spread over six months.
Is the hepatitis B vaccine worth it for adults?
If you were not vaccinated as a child, yes. Hepatitis B spreads readily through sex, is often silent for years, and can become a chronic infection that damages the liver. The vaccine is safe, effective and gives most adults decades of protection.
Conditions this service covers
HIV
HIV is a virus that weakens the immune system over time; with modern antiretroviral treatment, people with HIV live full lives with a normal life expectancy.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a viral infection of the liver, often silent, that spreads through sex and blood contact and is preventable with a safe, effective vaccine.
Genital Warts (HPV)
Genital warts are soft, flesh-coloured growths caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), treatable with creams, freezing or removal, and largely preventable by vaccination.