The Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare of Paraguay is promoting a national campaign to expand free access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a highly effective strategy for HIV prevention. Within this initiative, the Hospital General de Itapúa already offers the preventive method at no cost to the population.
PrEP, when used correctly, reduces the risk of acquiring HIV through sexual contact by up to 99%. The treatment consists of the preventive use of antiretroviral medications and is indicated for sexually active individuals with higher exposure to the virus, including those who have sex without condoms, serodiscordant couples with detectable viral load, people with a recent history of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), frequent casual sex, or sharing of injection drug materials.
Health authorities remind that PrEP does not protect against other STIs, so it is recommended to combine it with condoms, vaccination, and regular medical check-ups.
To access PrEP at the Hospital General de Itapúa, it is necessary to schedule an appointment with the Clinical Infectious Disease service. Available times are:
- Mondays, from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM: Dr. Juan Manuel Lambaré.
- Tuesdays, from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM: Dr. Macarena Cristaldo Juvinel.
- Tuesdays, from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM: Dr. Lorena Paola Talavera.
Appointments can be made through the Call Center by calling 154 (option 7) from other carriers, or *154 (option 7) for Claro lines.