Prague's sexual health infrastructure for gay and bisexual men centres on two institutions: Dům Světla (House of Light), the ČSAP community clinic for free anonymous testing and navigation, and the HIV Centrum at Bulovka Hospital, where PrEP is partially reimbursed through Czech health insurance and PEP can be initiated around the clock. Knowing how these two institutions connect — and how Czech insurance fits in — is the core of what you need.

🛡️ The Four Rules of Czech Sexual Health

1. Dům Světla: Your Entry Point

Dům Světla (aids-pomoc.cz, Prague 2) is the community anchor. Free anonymous testing, three-site STI screening, HIV counselling, PrEP referrals, and chemsex support. Staff understand gay men's health and English is widely spoken.

Dům Světla can make a warm referral to the HIV Centrum at Bulovka — and can advise on which clinicians currently have shorter waiting times. Start here rather than going direct to the hospital.

Outside Prague, ČSAP operates community checkpoints in Brno and Ostrava along the same model.

2. PrEP: HIV Centrum Only — Not Your GP

PrEP is partially reimbursed by Czech health insurance — but only when prescribed at an HIV Centrum. Your praktický lékař (GP) cannot initiate the reimbursement pathway. The two Prague HIV Centres are at Bulovka Hospital (Budínova 2, Prague 8) and ÚVN (U Vojenské nemocnice 1200, Prague 6).

The GP cannot start PrEP reimbursement. Only an HIV Centrum specialist can. Copayment after insurance: approximately 500–1,000 CZK/month (€20–40). Without this pathway, the same medication costs 5,000–8,000 CZK.

3. PEP: Bulovka First, Nearest Hospital Otherwise

In Prague, go to Nemocnice Na Bulovce (Bulovka Hospital), Budínova 2, Prague 8. During the day, use the infekční ambulance (infectious disease outpatient). Evenings, nights, and weekends, go to the pohotovost (emergency department) — they will contact the infectious disease on-call.

Outside Prague, go to the nearest fakultní nemocnice (university hospital) and ask for the infekční oddělení or pohotovost.

PEP must start within 72 hours. Do not wait. Go to the pohotovost now — the cost question can be resolved afterwards.

4. Know Your Pojišťovna

Czech health insurance (zdravotní pojišťovna) covers most care with copayments (doplatek). Bring your průkaz pojištěnce (insurance card) to every appointment. EU/EEA visitors: your EHIC covers urgent and emergency care at the same terms as Czech insured patients.

⚖️ The Reality of the System

  • Partial PrEP reimbursement: HIV Centrum-prescribed PrEP is covered by insurance, keeping monthly costs to a copayment.
  • Community entry point: Dům Světla is a genuinely affirming, non-clinical first contact that navigates the whole system for you.
  • Prague infrastructure: Testing, PrEP, PEP, chemsex support, and mental health resources are all present and accessible in one city.
  • Prague-centric: ČSAP's regional presence in Brno and Ostrava is meaningful but thinner — outside the major cities, infrastructure thins quickly.
  • GP locked out of PrEP: Your family doctor is not the gateway here. Finding the HIV Centrum pathway adds a step that new arrivals may not expect.
  • No anonymous partner notification portal: Czechia has no centralised online notification service. If you test positive and cannot notify a partner directly, ask the clinic to facilitate notification on your behalf.

✉️ Anonymous Partner Notification

If you test positive for an STI and cannot face telling a recent partner directly, ask the clinic where you were diagnosed to facilitate notification on your behalf. Dům Světla and the HIV Centrum at Bulovka can both contact partners without revealing your identity.

There is no public online anonymous notification portal in Czechia. The clinic is the practical route.

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