The short answer
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a 28-day course of HIV medicines that can stop HIV taking hold, but only if it starts within 72 hours of the exposure, and the sooner the better. Go to a hospital emergency department or an HIV clinic today and ask for PEP. A test taken now cannot show an infection this recent, so test later, not first.
What to do once PEP has startedMedically reviewed by Dr Debo Odulana, Founder and Chief Executive, Mezo. Last reviewed . This page is general information, not a diagnosis. Care is decided with you after an examination.
Who should ask for PEP
Ask for PEP today if, in the last 72 hours, you had:
- Sex without a condom, or a condom that broke, with someone whose HIV status you do not know or who has HIV
- Sex you did not agree to
- A needle injury, or shared needles
Where to get it
Hospital emergency departments, HIV treatment clinics and many general hospitals give PEP. After a sexual assault in Lagos, the Mirabel Centre at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja gives free, confidential care, including medical care and support. Say clearly that you need PEP and when the exposure happened.
What happens after
You take the medicine every day for 28 days. The clinic will test you for HIV at the start, and again at six weeks and three months. Take every dose. If side effects trouble you, go back to the clinic rather than stopping.
Mezo does not give PEP. Once you have started it, we can test you for other infections from two weeks after the exposure.
Common questions
Is it too late after 72 hours?
PEP works best the sooner it starts and is usually not given after 72 hours. Even so, go to a clinic: a doctor may still advise you, and you will need testing.
Does PEP always work?
It greatly lowers the chance of HIV taking hold, especially when started early and taken every day for the full 28 days, but no medicine is certain. That is why the follow-up tests matter.
Can I get PEP from a chemist?
PEP is a prescription medicine and should be started with an HIV test and a doctor's advice. Go to a hospital or HIV clinic.
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Sources and further reading
The guidelines and patient information this page is checked against. Care in Nigeria follows the same evidence; what differs is the price and where it is done.
- National Guidelines for HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care. Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria (NASCP), 2020. Clinical guideline.
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). NHS. Patient information.
Links last checked 24 October 2026.
Medical disclaimer: This guide is general information and does not replace advice from your own doctor. Where your centre's instructions differ from this guide, follow theirs.