Goldfields, Ghana is to spend ¢13b on sustainable development this year. One point five billion cedis of the money will go into health and sanitation development programmes in the company's catchment area.

The Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Development Manager, Dr, Anthony Aubyn, announced this at the inauguration of a ¢500m HIV/AIDS Voluntary Testing and Counselling centre at the Tarkwa Government Hospital in the Wassa West District.

Goldfields Ghana, and Anglogold Ashanti, Iduaprim-Mine built it jointly. Dr. Aubyn said the ECOWAS highway from Togo and Burkina Faso that passes through Tarkwa makes the town a strategic centre for HIV.AIDS and STD transmission.

This is coupled with the over 20,000 galamsey operators and workers of seven mining companies, which has made Tarkwa rife for commercial sex work and thus expose the people to the risk of HIV/AIDS.

Dr. Aubyn said a sentinel survey indicated that the HIV/AIDS prevalent rate in the Wassa West District is four point one, which twice the national figure is while others put it at seven point eight.

He explained that it is because of these frightening figures that the two mining companies have taken the first step to build the HIV/AIDS Voluntary Testing and Counselling Centre at the Tarkwa Government Hospital.

Dr. Aubyn said a similar facility has been provided at the Aboso Health Centre also in the Wassa West District.