Infected Blood Inquiry: Victims of 'Worst Treatment Disaster of the NHS' Continue to Wait for Justice

Summary:

• The Infected Blood Inquiry reveals the 'worst treatment disaster of the NHS,' where nearly 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through tainted blood products meant to treat them.
• Victims and families demand compensation for the tragedy, with 4,500 victims and their spouses already receiving interim compensation.
• The Prime Minister's refusal to pay compensation to family members despite the inquiry chair's recommendation causes outrage and is labeled a disgrace by campaigners.
• The government justifies the delay, awaiting the final inquiry report, while victims and campaigners highlight the urgent need for justice as lives are at stake.

Richard's brother, Mark, was a hemophiliac who died at just 24 years old, becoming one of nearly 30,000 people infected with HIV and hepatitis C due to the products intended to treat them. The infected blood scandal of the 1970s and 80s remains a tragic event that should never have occurred. While some victims and their spouses have received interim compensation, family members continue to wait for answers and justice.

During the Infected Blood Inquiry, victims and their families expressed their frustration and anguish over the prolonged wait for compensation. The chair of the inquiry recommended compensation for family members as well, but the Prime Minister's refusal to act on this recommendation has sparked outrage. The government claims it is awaiting the completion of the independent inquiry's work before making decisions on compensation. However, victims and campaigners argue that this delay is causing more suffering, with lives at stake while waiting for justice.

As the inquiry chair pointed out, the government's reluctance to act swiftly on compensation raises moral questions. Victims and families are being asked to wait until the final inquiry report is published in the autumn, prolonging their agony and anger. Campaigners are voicing their dissatisfaction with the government's decision, calling it a disgrace. For Richard, whose brother's death due to the tainted blood remains an unresolved chapter, the quest for answers and justice continues.