Advocate appeals for sensitization, funding for HIV patients

An appeal has been made to non-governmental organisations, corporate organisations and individuals to invest in sensitisation and funding treatment for HIV patients in Nigeria.

Tobore Ovuorie an investigative journalist and filmmaker made the call at the preview of ‘The Stigma” at the Civic Hive, Yaba, Lagos, noting that government is trying its best but can’t do everything. The films/documentaries were birthed by a five-part investigative series on HIV in children of school age, which Ovuorie carried out in 2018.

In the multimedia expose published in August last year, she uncovered that schools, parents and even fellow children were stigmatising and discriminating against kids living with HIV. Across seven states in Nigeria, Ovuorie uncovered schools denying children living with HIV their fundamental human right of access to education as well.

Ovuorie who produced all films and directed two, says her work as a journalist and frequent interactions with persons living with HIV inspired her to produce the films aimed at using the arts to put an end to stigmatisation of persons living with the virus, including nipping in the bud schools denying kids with HIV, access to education.