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HIV Counselling in London: Where to Start
London, Ontario is a university and hospital city, home to Western University and Fanshawe College.
Every September, thousands of students arrive in London, many living away from home for the first time. Sexual health questions follow quickly, from a broken condom to a worrying symptom after a party weekend. London's health unit and HIV care program are well established, but students often do not know they exist, or feel too embarrassed to walk in. Many of our London clients first want to know just one thing: does this actually need a test, and when?
Below you'll find what people in London ask us most: where infectious disease doctors practise locally, how long an HIV test takes to come back in Ontario, what test is used to confirm HIV, and what happens in post-test counselling. When you're ready, Dr. Yuvraj Monga can talk it through with you on WhatsApp or video.
HIV counselling in London doesn't have to mean a long wait for a referral. Dr. Monga also counsels clients in Hamilton, Kitchener-Waterloo and Windsor, so wherever you are in Ontario, the same private support is a message away.
In short
- People in London can book confidential HIV pre- and post-test counselling with Dr. Yuvraj Monga online for US$99.
- Specialist HIV care in London is mainly provided by the Infectious Diseases Care Program at St. Joseph's Health Care London.
- A reactive HIV screen in Ontario is confirmed by the Public Health Ontario Laboratory before a diagnosis is made.
- Exposure in the last 72 hours? Go to a hospital emergency department for PEP now.
Run by Dr. Yuvraj Monga, HIV, AIDS & STD Specialist
The HIV Testing Counselling program is run by Dr. Yuvraj Monga, MBBS, MD, an HIV, AIDS and STD specialist physician with a fellowship in infectious diseases and more than 25 years of experience managing and treating patients from around the world. Every consultation follows WHO guidance on HIV testing services, and our EXACT approach means we look at the person, not just the test result.
- Indian Achievers Award (2014)
- Brand Achiever, Health Care Excellence Awards (2015)
- Indian Achievers Award for Best Clinic in Delhi-NCR (2017)
Easy consultation, friendly follow-up. We were among the first to build a counselling program around the full journey of exposure, anxiety, counselling, testing and treatment.
London at a Glance: HIV Testing Essentials
- Health region
- Middlesex-London Health Unit
- Provincial health card
- OHIP
- Who confirms HIV results
- Public Health Ontario Laboratory
- PrEP coverage
- OHIP+ covers PrEP for residents aged 24 and under without a private plan; others usually use workplace or school insurance, the Trillium Drug Program, ODSP, Ontario Works or the Ontario Drug Benefit at 65+.
- Testing options
- Ontario offers anonymous HIV testing at designated sites, and the GetaKit program can mail a free HIV self-test to eligible residents.
- Health advice line
- Health811
- Your time zone
- Eastern Time. India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead, one hour less in summer.
Programs and coverage change. Confirm details with the clinic, pharmacist or Health811 before relying on them.
Support for People in London
International Students in London
Studying in London is exciting, but a sexual health scare far from home can be isolating. Campus and community sexual health clinics test students confidentially, and nothing is reported to your school or immigration file. Many international students in London first contact us simply to ask whether a test is needed at all, and when; often in Punjabi or Hindi. Visiting family in India soon? Read about HIV testing and PEP for NRIs in India.
2SLGBTQ+ Affirming Counselling
Gay, bisexual, trans and queer people in London have some of the best HIV prevention options in the world, including PrEP and regular STI screening. If you are not out, or not comfortable at local clinics, our affirming counselling helps you plan PrEP, testing frequency and safer dating without judgment. Read: staying safe with dating-app hookups.
Pre- and Post-HIV Test Counselling: What's the Difference?
“Pre- and post-test counselling” sounds formal, but it simply means two honest conversations: one to make sure you take the right test at the right time, and one to make sure you understand the answer. Here is how they differ for someone testing in London.
| Pre-test counselling | Post-test counselling | |
|---|---|---|
| When | Before the sample is taken | When the result is ready |
| Main purpose | Informed consent and choosing the right test and timing | Understanding the result and deciding next steps |
| What it covers | Your exposure, window periods, which test, how results are shared, confidentiality | What the result means, retesting, prevention or PrEP, confirmation and linkage to care |
| Who needs it | Everyone; WHO recommends at least clear pre-test information | Everyone, and especially anyone with a reactive or unclear result |
| Typical length | 5–15 minutes at a clinic | 15–45 minutes, longer for a new diagnosis |
What is post-test counselling?
Post-test counselling is the conversation you have after an HIV test result. For a non-reactive result, it checks whether the test was taken late enough to be conclusive and how to stay negative. For a reactive or indeterminate result, it explains confirmation testing, offers emotional support and connects you to care. It is where a frightening piece of paper becomes a clear next step.
HIV screening test counselling
A screening test is the first test in the sequence, whether a lab blood test, a clinic rapid test or a self-test. Screening test counselling makes sure you know that a non-reactive screen is conclusive only after the window period, and that a reactive screen is not yet a diagnosis. Those two facts alone prevent most of the distress we see.
Unsure whether your exposure even needs a test? Our guides on exposure with an unknown partner and exposure with a known partner help you judge the risk before your pre-test session.
HIV Test Results Time in London
Two different clocks matter: how soon after exposure a test can detect HIV (the window period), and how long the result takes to reach you. Both vary by test type. In London, a typical picture looks like this:
- Instant
Self-testing
A Health Canada–approved self-test gives a reading in about a minute. Good for privacy, but it can miss infections in the first weeks: rely on it from roughly 3 months.
- Same visit
Rapid test at a clinic
Sexual health clinics around Old East Village and Masonville may offer rapid testing. Non-reactive is reassuring after the window; reactive simply means ‘check again in the lab’.
- Several days
Standard lab screening
The antigen/antibody test ordered by a doctor, nurse practitioner or sexual health clinic in London. Accurate for most people from 6 weeks after exposure. Results go back to whoever ordered the test, by phone, a follow-up visit or a patient portal.
- Several more days
Confirmation and second sample
The Public Health Ontario Laboratory checks reactive samples with confirmatory tests; your clinic will usually ask for a fresh sample too.
A delay usually means nothing more than a busy lab. If you have not heard back after two weeks, call the clinic; don't assume the worst. If you took PEP, follow-up tests are typically at 4–6 weeks and again at 3 months after the exposure.
For a deeper look at timing, read how the HIV window period affects test accuracy and how reliable home HIV test kits are on our sister site, PEP Treatment for HIV.
What Test Is Used to Confirm a Diagnosis of HIV?
People often ask us, “What test is used to confirm a diagnosis of HIV?” In Ontario, as across Canada, confirmation is a laboratory process, not a single test, and it is handled by the Public Health Ontario Laboratory:
Initial screening
Lab antigen/antibody test or rapid test. Non-reactive after the window period means no HIV; reactive means more testing.
Supplementary test
At the Public Health Ontario Laboratory, a reactive screen is re-tested with a different assay, usually an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation test. The older Western blot has largely been replaced.
RNA testing for discordant results
An HIV RNA (viral load) test settles results that don't match or that may reflect acute infection.
A fresh sample
Most labs want a second blood sample before a final diagnosis, so no one is diagnosed on a single tube of blood.
Making sense of serology reports
HIV serology reports use technical language, and a single word like “indeterminate” can cause days of panic. In an HIV serology test counselling session, we explain each line of your report, the type of assay used and how the lab reached its interpretation, so you know exactly where you stand.
Post-Test Counselling for HIV: What Happens After Each Result
Post-test counselling looks different depending on what the report says. Here is what we cover for each result, for people in London and everywhere else:
Non-reactive (negative)
A non-reactive result is reassuring, but only conclusive if the test was done late enough. We check the date and test type with you, plan any final retest and then help you close the chapter, which for many anxious people is the hardest part.
- Can I stop worrying now?
- Should my partner test too?
- How often should I test in future?
Indeterminate
An indeterminate result means the lab could not give a clear answer. It can happen very early in an infection, but more often it is a non-specific reaction in someone without HIV. The lab will ask for a repeat sample, usually within a few weeks. Waiting is difficult, and support during this time matters.
- Is indeterminate the same as positive?
- How long until the repeat?
- Who can I talk to meanwhile?
Reactive / confirmed positive
Hearing “positive” is frightening, yet modern treatment is one pill a day for most people, and undetectable equals untransmittable. Your clinic in London will link you to an HIV specialist, and public health may offer confidential partner notification. We are there for the questions you may not want to ask anyone local.
- What happens at my first specialist visit?
- Who do I have to tell?
- How will this affect my relationship?
Waiting is often the hardest part: these practical tools for coping while you wait for HIV results can help. If your result is confirmed positive, read about HIV treatment options, viral load and CD4 counts and the HIV care continuum, from diagnosis to undetectable.
Questions about HIV disclosure and the law in Canada are complex. For legal advice, contact a legal clinic such as the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO) or the HIV Legal Network.
The EXACT Program
EXposure, Anxiety, Counselling, Testing & Treatment: one confidential pathway from the moment of worry to a clear answer.
- EX
Exposure
A calm, detailed review of what happened and the real level of risk. PEP timing is checked first.
- A
Anxiety
Practical techniques to quieten the ‘what if’ spiral while you wait.
- C
Counselling
Private sessions on risk, relationships, disclosure and living well.
- T
Testing & Treatment
The right tests on the right dates, results explained, and next steps agreed.
HIV in Brief: What It Is, Symptoms, and Why Early Advice Matters
What is HIV?
The human immunodeficiency virus gradually depletes the white blood cells (CD4 cells) that coordinate the body's defences. Transmission needs a specific route: condomless anal or vaginal sex, shared needles, or from parent to baby. Everyday contact does not spread it. AIDS is the late stage of untreated HIV, which modern treatment now prevents.
Symptoms to know about
Around two to four weeks after infection, some people develop symptoms that feel like the flu. Others have none. These signs overlap with colds, other infections and stress, so we never diagnose by symptoms; we plan the right test instead.
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Rash
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Muscle aches
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Mouth ulcers
Read more about HIV basics, early HIV symptoms, high-risk exposures and when to consult a doctor.
Why consult early?
Time-sensitive prevention
PEP must begin within three days. Talking to someone early is how people find out whether they need it.
Better long-term health
People diagnosed and treated early have near-normal life expectancy.
Undetectable = untransmittable
Treatment that suppresses the virus also prevents sexual transmission.
Less anxiety, sooner
Clear advice early stops weeks of searching symptoms and repeat testing.
Following WHO Guidelines: The 5 Cs of HIV Testing
Whether you test at a clinic in Old East Village or at home, WHO's 5 Cs are a useful checklist for good HIV testing, and the standard we hold our own counselling to:
Consent
You decide whether to test, freely and informed.
Confidentiality
Health information protected by law and by us.
Counselling
Clear information before, and support after, every test.
Correct results
Accurate testing, with reactive results always confirmed.
Connection
Linkage to prevention, treatment and care after the test.
Infectious Disease Doctors in London and Local HIV Services
“Best doctors for HIV/AIDS in London” is a common search, but the right doctor depends on what you need today. For long-term HIV treatment, London relies on the Infectious Diseases Care Program at St. Joseph's Health Care London, usually by referral. For a test, a sexual health clinic is faster. For clear answers before and after that test, a counselling session is the quickest route.
Middlesex-London Health Unit sexual health clinic
Confidential STI and HIV testing, treatment and contraception. Check walk-in times.
Regional HIV/AIDS Connection
Community HIV support, prevention and outreach in London and the surrounding counties.
London Health Sciences Centre emergency departments
For PEP assessment within 72 hours.
Check hours, booking rules and eligibility before visiting; services change. If you do not have a family doctor, the provincial line (Health811) can point you to the nearest option. Need PEP outside clinic hours? Read where to get PEP at night or on weekends.
Is Dr. Monga an infectious disease doctor?
Dr. Monga trained in medicine (MBBS, MD), completed a fellowship in infectious diseases in Australia and has focused on HIV, AIDS and STDs for over 25 years. For people in London, he offers online counselling from India: explaining results, planning tests and supporting decisions. Your tests and prescriptions still come from a provider licensed in Ontario.
When You Need Counselling: Our Services for London
Here is what we can help with. Every session is private, booked on WhatsApp and timed for Eastern Time:
Looking for HIV counselling in London for something specific? See the full list of our counselling services.
Managing PEP side effects
Feeling queasy
A light snack with each dose often helps; your prescriber can add an anti-nausea tablet.
Bloating & stomach upset
Lighter, less oily meals and a short walk after eating.
Loose stools
Oral rehydration and bland food; seek care after two days.
Low energy
Rest well and take PEP at the same time every day.
Fever or rash
Not expected from PEP. Get checked promptly, since it may signal another illness.
Talk to your prescriber before stopping PEP. Go to emergency care for a fever with rash, jaundice, dark urine, severe belly pain or vomiting you cannot stop.
Dr. Yuvraj Monga, MBBS, MD
MBBS, MD (Pharmacology) · Fellowship in Infectious Diseases (Australia) · 25+ years managing HIV, AIDS & STDs
Dr. Monga is known for explaining complex test results in plain, reassuring language. He leads the HIV Testing Counselling program and its EXACT approach, and counsels people in London online in English, Punjabi or Hindi, with the same care he gives patients in his Delhi clinics.
- HIV testing & counselling
- PEP & PrEP guidance
- ART coordination, CD4 & viral load monitoring
- STD/STI testing & treatment
- HIV anxiety counselling
- LGBTQ+ affirming care
- Relationship & marriage counselling
Booking a Session: How It Works and What Time It Will Be
- Message on WhatsApp A first name is enough.
- Agree a time Early morning or evening slots suit Eastern Time.
- Consult Share reports or questions in confidence.
- Stay in touch Friendly follow-up until you have answers.
| In London | India (IST), winter | India (IST), summer |
|---|---|---|
| 7:00 AM | 5:30 PM | 4:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM | 10:30 PM | 9:30 PM |
| 5:00 PM | 3:30 AM (next day) | 2:30 AM (next day) |
| 9:00 PM | 7:30 AM (next day) | 6:30 AM (next day) |
London uses Eastern Time. India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead in winter and one hour less during daylight saving time.
Act Before the Virus Gets Ahead of You
PEP only works in the first 72 hours, and every week of untreated HIV costs immune strength. If you're worried, waiting or newly diagnosed, book your consultation now and fix your appointment in your own time zone.
Ask Dr. Monga a Question
Write as much or as little as you like. A copy goes to our team by email and your WhatsApp opens pre-filled, for the fastest reply.
- 100% confidential
- Talk in English or Punjabi (Hindi too)
- US$99 counselling package, confirmed before payment
- Sessions in Eastern Time
HIV Testing and Counselling Questions from London
Who are the best doctors for HIV/AIDS in London?
Specialist HIV care in London is led mainly by the Infectious Diseases Care Program at St. Joseph's Health Care London. The best choice depends on your needs, location and referral. Dr. Yuvraj Monga offers online counselling to help you understand your situation and prepare before you choose.
Is Dr. Monga an infectious disease doctor?
Dr. Yuvraj Monga is an HIV, AIDS and STD specialist physician (MBBS, MD) with a fellowship in infectious diseases and more than 25 years of experience. He provides online counselling, education and guidance from India. Tests and prescriptions in Canada must come from a locally licensed provider.
How long do HIV test results take in London?
Self-tests and rapid clinic tests give results in minutes. A standard lab blood test usually takes from a few days to about two weeks. If the screen is reactive, confirmation at the Public Health Ontario Laboratory adds a few more days.
What is HIV serology test counselling?
It is help with understanding blood tests for HIV antibodies and antigen: the assay used, terms such as reactive or indeterminate, and the lab's final interpretation, so you know what the report actually says.
What is post-test counselling for HIV?
It is the conversation after an HIV test result. It explains what the result means for your exposure date and test type, whether you need a repeat test, how to stay protected, and, for a reactive result, how confirmation, treatment and partner notification work.
How much does online counselling cost?
The online counselling package is US$99 for people in Canada. What it includes is confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay.
What should I do if PEP makes me feel sick?
Nausea, bloating and tiredness are common in the first one to two weeks. Take doses with food, drink plenty of fluids and ask your prescriber about anti-nausea medicine. Never stop on your own; a fever with rash or yellowing skin needs urgent care.
What test is used to confirm a diagnosis of HIV?
A reactive screening test is confirmed in a public health laboratory with a different assay, usually an HIV-1/HIV-2 antibody differentiation test, and sometimes an HIV RNA (nucleic acid) test. A second sample is often taken before a diagnosis is given.
Is PrEP covered in Ontario?
OHIP+ covers PrEP for residents aged 24 and under without a private plan; others usually use workplace or school insurance, the Trillium Drug Program, ODSP, Ontario Works or the Ontario Drug Benefit at 65+.
What happens in pre- and post-test HIV counselling?
Pre-test counselling checks your exposure, the right test and timing, and how results will be shared. Post-test counselling explains the result, plans any retest and, if needed, connects you to care and emotional support.
Where can I get an HIV test in London?
Options in London include Middlesex-London Health Unit sexual health clinic and Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. Ontario offers anonymous HIV testing at designated sites, and the GetaKit program can mail a free HIV self-test to eligible residents. Check hours and eligibility before you go, and test at the right time after your exposure.
Is there an infectious disease or HIV clinic in London?
Yes. Specialist HIV care in London is provided by the Infectious Diseases Care Program at St. Joseph's Health Care London. You usually need a referral from a family doctor, nurse practitioner or walk-in clinic, but you can get tested without one.
Will an HIV test affect my study permit or immigration application?
A test at a local clinic is confidential and separate from immigration. The immigration medical exam includes its own HIV test for most permanent-residence applicants, and HIV on its own does not automatically make someone inadmissible; IRCC assesses each case.
Can I talk to Dr. Monga in Punjabi?
Yes. For people in London, sessions are available in English and Punjabi, and in Hindi too. Just mention your preferred language when you message us on WhatsApp.
What time are sessions for London?
Sessions are booked in your local time (Eastern Time). India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead, one hour less in summer.
More HIV Counselling Guides Near London
Further Reading
Doctor-reviewed guides
From our sister site, PEP Treatment for HIV:
- Combined STD and HIV testing One visit, full picture
- STDs without symptoms Why testing still matters
- HIV window period testing When a result is reliable
- HIV testing and PEP for NRIs Care when you visit India
Official resources
- Government of Canada: HIV and AIDS National information
- CATIE Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C information
- WHO: HIV and AIDS Global guidance
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline Call or text 9-8-8
Related searches
On this site: early HIV testing · window period · PEP · viral load & CD4 · worldwide counselling · USA · India · Dubai & UAE
Medical note: Dr. Monga HIV Counselling Center provides online counselling, education and guidance from India. It does not replace an in-person examination, laboratory testing or prescriptions from a provider licensed in your province. If an exposure happened in the last 72 hours, seek PEP at a hospital emergency department now. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 9-8-8.