Czech (čeština) is the language of healthcare across Czechia. In Prague and at major university hospitals, English is widely understood — especially at Bulovka's HIV Centrum and at Dům Světla. Outside Prague, more Czech is needed.
The Health System
| Purpose | Czech Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Health Insurance Company | Zdravotní pojišťovna | Czechia has a multi-payer health insurance system. The largest is VZP (Všeobecná zdravotní pojišťovna). Others include ČPZP, OZP, ZP MV, and RBP. All are required to cover the standard benefits package. |
| Health Insurance Card | Průkaz pojištěnce | Your insurance card — presented at every healthcare encounter. Keep it on you. |
| GP / Family Doctor | Praktický lékař | Your registered family doctor. Can refer you to specialists and order basic tests. Cannot initiate PrEP reimbursement — that requires an HIV Centrum specialist. |
| Specialist HIV and sexual health centres | HIV Centrum | Attached to university hospitals. The key institution for PrEP and complex STI care. Prague's main centres are at Bulovka Hospital and ÚVN. |
| Infectious disease clinic / department | Infekční klinika / Infekční oddělení | Where PEP and HIV management happen at the hospital. |
| Dermatovenereology | Dermatovenerologie | The hospital specialty that handles STIs, complex skin and mucous membrane infections. More treatment-focused than Dům Světla's community service. |
| Copayment | Doplatek | The portion of a covered medication or service that you pay out of pocket after insurance contributes. For PrEP via an HIV Centrum: typically 500–1,000 CZK/month. |
| On-call / emergency service | Pohotovost | Used to refer to both the A&E and out-of-hours GP services. At the hospital context: the emergency department or the infectious disease on-call. |
Key Phrases
Getting Tested
| Purpose | Czech Term |
|---|---|
| Full STI screen | "Chtěl bych úplné vyšetření na pohlavně přenosné nemoci." |
| Three-site swabs | "Chtěl bych výtěr z krku a konečníku, prosím." |
| Anonymous HIV test | "Chci anonymní test na HIV." |
| PrEP monitoring | "Jsem na PrEP a potřebuji tříměsíční kontrolu." |
Starting PrEP
| Purpose | Czech Term |
|---|---|
| I want to start PrEP | "Chtěl bych začít užívat PrEP." |
| Referral to HIV Centrum | "Potřebuji doporučení do HIV Centra." |
PEP Emergency
| Purpose | Czech Term |
|---|---|
| I need PEP | "Potřebuji postexpoziční profylaxi (PEP)." |
| I had risky contact | "Měl jsem rizikový sexuální kontakt." |
| Hours ago | "Před [X] hodinami." |
| Partner status | "Partner byl HIV pozitivní / neznámý status." |
General
| Purpose | Czech Term |
|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | "Mluvíte anglicky?" |
| I have an EHIC card | "Mám Evropský průkaz zdravotního pojištění (EPZP)." |
| I need help | "Potřebuji pomoc!" |
| Call an ambulance | "Zavolejte záchranku!" |
Emergency Numbers
| Number | Service |
|---|---|
| 112 | Pan-European emergency (ambulance, fire, police) |
| 155 | Czech ambulance direct |
| 116 123 | Linka bezpečí / Linka důvěry — crisis support (check current provider for adult crisis line) |
Quick Reference
| Purpose | Czech Term |
|---|---|
| Hospital | Nemocnice |
| Emergency / on-call | Pohotovost |
| Infectious disease clinic | Infekční klinika |
| STI clinic | Dermatovenerologie |
| GP | Praktický lékař |
| Health insurance company | Pojišťovna |
| Insurance card | Průkaz pojištěnce |
| Copayment | Doplatek |
| Swab | Výtěr |
| Sexually transmitted infections | Pohlavně přenosné nemoci (PPN) |
| HIV | HIV |
| Pre-exposure prophylaxis | PrEP |
| Post-exposure prophylaxis | PEP |
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