Quick Answer
- People in Washington can get confidential online HIV and STD counselling with Dr. Yuvraj Monga for $99.
- Washington, D.C. is one of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic priority jurisdictions, which means extra national investment in HIV testing, prevention and care in your area.
- For PEP within 72 hours, go to an emergency department or public sexual health clinic in Washington immediately.
- Counselling guides you; tests and prescriptions come from a provider licensed in District of Columbia.
The HIV Testing Counselling Program, Run by Dr. Yuvraj Monga
This program is led 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. Our counselling follows WHO and CDC guidelines, and our own EXACT program means we take time to understand every patient, not just their test result.
Easy consultation, friendly follow-up support, and a clear path to living with confidence and safety.
Whether you live near Dupont Circle, work around Capitol Hill or are just passing through Washington, a sudden HIV or STD worry can take over your thoughts. Washington is the nation's capital, where privacy and reputation matter, and plenty of people here search for an HIV specialist without ever telling a friend. This guide explains your local options and how confidential online counselling can help you act with confidence.
Why People in Washington Reach Out to Us
The concerns we hear from Washington are familiar, and none of them are anything to be ashamed of:
- Worry about protecting a spouse or partner while waiting for results.
- An encounter after a night out near Dupont Circle and no idea whether it carried real risk.
- Student life around Georgetown University and a first sexual health scare.
- Long work hours that make daytime clinic visits hard.
- Confusing lab results in an online patient portal.
Counselling with Dr. Yuvraj Monga gives you what these moments need most: time, privacy, clarity and a plan.
HIV and STD Services in Washington
Washington, D.C. is one of the federal Ending the HIV Epidemic priority jurisdictions, which means extra national investment in HIV testing, prevention and care in your area. District of Columbia has expanded Medicaid, so many lower-income adults qualify for coverage that includes HIV testing, PrEP and treatment.
| Local service | What it offers (check before visiting) |
|---|---|
| DC Health (District of Columbia Department of Health) | Public sexual health or STD clinics usually offer free or low-cost HIV and STD testing, and many can start PrEP. Check the official website for current locations and hours. |
| Hospital emergency departments in Washington | The fastest route to PEP within 72 hours of an exposure, at any hour. |
| Community health centres | Federally funded centres with sliding-scale fees offering testing, PrEP and HIV care, with or without insurance. |
| CDC GetTested and HIV.gov locator | Search free and low-cost testing, PrEP and HIV care near your ZIP code. |
Talk to Dr. Monga privately today
Consultation on WhatsApp. $99 package. 100% confidential.
Exposure in the Last 72 Hours?
Start with PEP, then counselling. If you had a possible HIV exposure within 72 hours, go to a hospital emergency department, urgent care centre or public sexual health clinic in Washington today and ask for HIV PEP assessment. Don't wait for symptoms or a test result.
After PEP is started, counselling helps with side effects, missed doses and the anxiety of the 28-day course. Read our page on when to start PEP and our guide to high-risk situations.
HIV Explained: What It Is, Common Symptoms and Why Early Advice Matters
What is HIV?
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the immune system, especially the CD4 cells that help the body fight infection. It spreads through blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal and rectal fluids and breast milk, most often through unprotected sex or shared needles. It does not spread through hugging, kissing, sharing food or everyday contact. Without treatment, HIV can slowly progress to AIDS. With modern treatment, people living with HIV live long, healthy lives.
Common early symptoms
Some people develop a short flu-like illness two to four weeks after infection. Many people have no symptoms at all, which is why testing, not guessing, gives the answer.
These symptoms are also caused by flu, other infections and even anxiety. Our pages on early signs and symptoms and the testing window period explain why a correctly timed test matters more than any symptom.
Why consult a doctor early?
What we do for people in Washington
We counsel for every HIV, AIDS and STD concern, privately and without judgment:
When Do You Need Counselling? Our Services for Washington
Counselling isn't only for a new diagnosis. Most people who reach us are making an important health decision: whether they need PEP, whether PrEP is right for them, which tests to take, how to protect a partner or how to plan a family. Choose what fits your situation and book a session on WhatsApp.
PEP Counselling (Within 72 Hours)
After a risky exposure, PEP can prevent HIV if started within 72 hours. Get PEP from a local emergency department or sexual health clinic; we help you understand your risk, take every dose and manage side effects.
- Is this exposure risky enough for PEP?
- How to take 28 days of PEP without missing doses
- Managing nausea, bloating and stomach upset
- Follow-up HIV tests after PEP
PrEP Counselling
PrEP is a medicine that prevents HIV before exposure. In Washington, PrEP must be prescribed and monitored by a locally licensed provider. We help you decide if it suits you and how to get it near you, often covered by insurance.
- Is PrEP right for you: daily, on-demand or injectable
- Which baseline tests to do first
- How to get PrEP from a local provider or pharmacy
- If you visit India, PrEP can be arranged during your trip
Testing Counselling: Which Tests and When
Testing at the wrong time is the main reason people stay anxious after a negative result. We give you a dated plan and explain every report.
- 4th-generation HIV test at 6 weeks
- Gonorrhoea & chlamydia from 2 weeks
- Syphilis at 6 weeks, repeat at 12 if advised
- Report interpretation in plain language
STD Counselling
Burning, discharge, sores or simply worry after sex? Many STDs cause no symptoms at all. We help you understand the risk and plan the right tests and treatment.
- Syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, herpes, HPV
- Which sites to test: urine, throat, rectal
- Partner notification and treatment
- Preventing repeat infections
Counselling for HIV-Positive Partners
If one partner is living with HIV, you can still have a safe, loving and intimate relationship. We counsel couples together or individually.
- U=U: undetectable means untransmittable
- PrEP and condoms for the HIV-negative partner
- Disclosure, trust and intimacy
- Handling family and social pressure
Family Planning Counselling
People living with HIV can have healthy, HIV-negative babies. We help couples plan conception, pregnancy and birth safely, alongside your local doctors.
- Reaching an undetectable viral load first
- Safe conception for mixed-status couples
- Pregnancy, delivery and infant testing
- Questions to ask your antenatal team
Managing PEP Side Effects: Nausea, Bloating, Stomach Upset and Fever
Modern PEP is usually well tolerated, but some people feel unwell in the first one to two weeks. Most side effects are mild and settle as the body adjusts. Never stop PEP on your own: contact the doctor who prescribed your PEP, or message us for guidance first.
| Side effect | What usually helps | When to get help |
|---|---|---|
| Nausea | Take the dose with food, eat small frequent meals, try ginger or dry crackers. Your doctor can prescribe an anti-nausea medicine. | If you vomit within an hour of a dose, ask your doctor whether to repeat it. |
| Bloating & stomach upset | Smaller meals, less spicy, oily or fizzy food, and gentle walking after meals. | Severe or worsening abdominal pain needs urgent review. |
| Loose stools | Drink plenty of fluids or oral rehydration solution; eat simple foods. | If it lasts more than two days or you feel dizzy or dehydrated. |
| Headache & tiredness | Rest, hydration and a regular sleep routine; take the dose at the same time daily. | If severe, or with confusion or a stiff neck. |
| Fever | Fever is not a typical PEP side effect. It can come from another infection, a reaction to medicine or, rarely, early HIV. | Contact a doctor promptly, especially if fever comes with a rash. |
Seek urgent care for a rash with fever, yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting or difficulty breathing.
Counselling during PEP helps you stay on all 28 days, which matters as much as starting on time. Many people also need support for the anxiety that builds while they wait for follow-up results.
Getting Tested in Washington at the Right Time
Testing too early is the most common reason people in Washington stay anxious after a negative result. For a single exposure, a practical plan is:
- About 2 weeks: gonorrhoea and chlamydia tests, from the sites relevant to the type of sex.
- 6 weeks: a 4th-generation HIV antigen/antibody test plus a syphilis test.
- 12 weeks: confirmatory testing if you took PEP or used an antibody-only rapid or home test.
Our guides on which test to choose and the window period explain why timing matters.
PrEP in Washington
Thinking about PrEP but unsure how to bring it up with a doctor in Washington? That's common. Counselling gives you a private space to ask every question first: Is it right for me? Which tests come first? What if I miss a dose? You then walk into your appointment prepared.
Living With HIV in Washington
For people living with HIV in Washington, medical care is only part of the picture. Counselling helps with disclosure to partners and family, dating again, stigma at work and the emotional weight of daily treatment. We can also explain your viral load and CD4 reports in plain language.
Our Approach: The EXACT Program
EXposure · Anxiety · Counselling · Testing & Treatment: one confidential pathway led by Dr. Yuvraj Monga.
Exposure
A detailed, judgment-free review of what happened and how risky it really was. PEP timing is checked first.
Anxiety
Practical tools to calm racing thoughts, stop symptom-checking and sleep again while you wait.
Counselling
One-to-one sessions on risk, relationships, disclosure, medication and living well with HIV.
Testing & Treatment
A dated HIV and STD test plan, report reviews, and guidance on PEP, PrEP or ART.
Sessions on Eastern Time
Your appointment is booked in Eastern Time and confirmed on WhatsApp. India is about 10.5 hours ahead of Washington, so our working day covers your evening, night and early morning:
| Your time in Washington | India time (winter) | India time (summer) |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM in Washington (Early morning) | 6:30 PM | 5:30 PM |
| 12:00 PM in Washington (Lunch break) | 10:30 PM | 9:30 PM |
| 6:00 PM in Washington (After work) | 4:30 AM (next day) | 3:30 AM (next day) |
| 9:00 PM in Washington (Late evening) | 7:30 AM (next day) | 6:30 AM (next day) |
Washington runs on Eastern Time. India is 10 hours 30 minutes ahead, one hour less while daylight saving time is in effect. Every appointment is confirmed in your local time on WhatsApp.
How It Works
1. Message on WhatsApp
Send a short note. A first name is enough to begin.
2. Fix your appointment
We confirm a slot in your local time zone.
3. Talk to Dr. Monga
Chat, voice or video. Private and unhurried.
4. Friendly follow-up
Written next steps, test dates and support until you have answers.
Private Support Outside Your Local Circle
Students around Georgetown University, professionals downtown and families across U Street all reach out to us for the same reason: they want expert, private guidance without the risk of running into someone they know. Online counselling makes that possible, wherever you are in Washington.
Meet Dr. Yuvraj Monga
Dr. Monga has spent his career helping people through HIV, AIDS and STD concerns, from the panic of a recent exposure to long-term HIV management. He is Chief Consultant Physician at Dr. Monga Medi Clinic and leads the HIV Testing Counselling program and its EXACT approach. He consults online from India with people around the world, including across the United States. Conversations are direct, evidence-based and free of judgment, in English or Hindi.
Recognition:
- Indian Achievers Award (2014)
- Brand Achiever, Health Care Excellence Awards (2015)
- Indian Achievers Award for Best Clinic in Delhi-NCR (2017)
Your $99 Counselling Package
For Washington clients, the online counselling package is $99. We confirm exactly what it includes, such as session length and follow-up support, on WhatsApp before you pay. You can start with only a first name.
Don't Wait: Protect Yourself Before the Virus Takes Hold
After a risky exposure, the first 72 hours decide whether PEP can still protect you. If you're anxious, waiting for results or living with HIV, a single conversation can give you a clear plan. Book your consultation today and fix your appointment in your local time.
Send a Private Query
Fill in a few details. Your query is emailed to Dr. Monga's team and WhatsApp opens with your details, so you can reach us instantly. Everything stays confidential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the best doctors for HIV/AIDS in Washington?
Washington has experienced HIV specialists in its hospitals, academic centres and community clinics. The right one depends on your insurance, location and needs. Counselling with Dr. Monga helps you understand your situation and prepare the right questions before choosing a local provider.
Where can I get PEP in Washington at night or at the weekend?
Go to a hospital emergency department or urgent care centre in Washington and ask for HIV PEP assessment. PEP must start within 72 hours of exposure, and the sooner the better.
Is HIV testing free in Washington?
Many public health clinics and community health centres in and around Washington offer free or low-cost HIV and STD testing. Use the CDC GetTested locator to find current options near your ZIP code.
Can a doctor in India counsel me in Washington, DC?
Yes, for counselling, education and guidance. Tests, physical exams and prescriptions such as PEP, PrEP or HIV treatment must come from a provider licensed in District of Columbia.
What time are sessions for Washington clients?
Sessions are confirmed in Eastern Time. India is about 10.5 hours ahead, so early-morning, evening and late-night Washington slots usually work well.
What should I do if PEP makes me feel sick?
Nausea, bloating and stomach upset are common in the first weeks. Take doses with food, eat small meals and stay hydrated, and ask your doctor about anti-nausea medicine. Don't stop PEP on your own. Fever with a rash, yellow eyes or severe pain needs urgent medical care.
Can you send PrEP to my location?
We don't post prescription medicines across borders, because import rules in Washington restrict this and PrEP needs local monitoring. We help you get PrEP from a licensed provider or pharmacy near you, and if you visit India, PrEP can be arranged during your trip.
Further Reading
Detailed, doctor-reviewed guides from our sister resource, PEP Treatment for HIV:
Official public health resources:
People in Washington
Medical note: Dr. Monga HIV Counselling Center provides online counselling, education and guidance. It does not replace an in-person examination, laboratory testing or prescriptions from a provider licensed in your state. If an exposure happened in the last 72 hours, seek PEP from a local hospital or clinic immediately. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 in the United States.