Gold Fields Ghana Marks World AIDS Day With Host Communities.

Chief of Pepesah, a farming community in the Prestea Huni- Valley Municipality in the Western Region has expressed gratitude to the mining firm, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, for considering their health needs.

He told modernghana.com at the sidelines of the commemoration of World AIDS Day at Pepesah.

The Odikro for the community, Nana John Dziwornu said, for the mining company to mark the World AIDS day in his community signifies how Gold Fields has them at heart.

Nana Dziwornu said, the company has not left them since they started operations and that “they have given us many things in this community, including water, road, school buildings and farming materials”.

He stated, the things provided by God Fields make them comfortable and bringing the celebration to his community was something he and his people were happy about.

The Odikro was hopeful, the testing for HIV which took place during the event would help the residents know their HIV status so they could do the necessary when found negative or otherwise.

Commenting on the programme, the Wellbeing Coordinator for Gold Fields Ghana Operations, Rebecca Nana Yaa Manwunyo stated she was impressed with how the community members embraced the Worlds AIDS day.

“I am very impressed, because all along it has always been only Gold Fields Employees and our business partners but getting the chiefs, the young, old and the entire community here make me more impressed.

At Amoanda, the Wellbeing Officer for Gold Fields Damang, Adwoa Oppong, demonstrated to the community members present, how to protect themselves from acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.

Some residents modernghana.com spoke to were happy to hear that, one would still have life to live even after testing positive. Some who had gone through the test encouraged others to do so.

In both communities, over four hundred people got tested for HIV and now know their HIV status.

World AIDS Day, held each year on December 1, is an opportunity to celebrate and support global efforts to prevent new HIV infections, increase HIV awareness and knowledge, and support those living with HIV.

Since World AIDS Day was first observed more than 30 years ago, progress in preventing and treating HIV has been phenomenal. HIV medicines are available to help people with HIV live long, healthy lives and prevent HIV transmission.

It is estimated 37.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2018, 79% were diagnosed, 62% received treatment, and 53% had achieved suppression of the HIV with low risk of infecting others.

The theme for this year’s celebration was “Communities make the difference”.