It comes after decades of campaigning and denial of responsibility by the government. The announcement had a mixed reception, because while survivors will now receive long overdue help and recognition, many others have already died and, apart from spouses, relatives of the dead will not qualify for compensation. The scandal has been described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. The patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products imported from America. About 2,400 people are believed to have died as a result. Andrew Evans, 45, is one of around 4,000 victims who survived. Responding to today’s announcement, he said: “Obviously, it’s a very welcome amount of money. If you spread £100,000 over 40 years of contamination, that’s £2,500 a year.
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“For me personally, I will be able to do what I want most, which is to secure the future of my family. “But I’m also very aware of the people he’s not dealing with right now.” Andrew was infected through hemophilia treatments at the age of five with HIV and hepatitis C and developed AIDS at the age of 16. His parents took him to Disneyland in a wheelchair, thinking it would be his last vacation. He was saved by advances in AIDS treatments, but throughout his childhood, he kept his condition a secret from his school friends due to public attitudes. He said: “I think the reason behind it was the sheer and utter stigma attached to HIV at the time. Image: Andrew was infected through hemophilia treatments at the age of five “I’ve had friends wake up to nasty packages going through the letterbox, with ‘AIDS debris’ graffitied all over their house. “So I kept everything completely under wraps. I didn’t tell anyone at school. I didn’t even tell my best friends, until it became absolutely obvious that I was sick and I couldn’t hide it anymore.” After decades of campaigning, an inquiry was launched in July 2018. Former health secretaries and Prime Minister Sir John Major testified. But no one claimed responsibility and Sir John described those infected as “incredibly unlucky”. Campaigners claimed it was incompetence – a reckless method of collecting blood plasma in the US that used dangerous donors such as prison inmates and drug users. The blood clotting product called Factor VIII pooled plasma from up to 40,000 donors, adding an additional risk of contamination to the batches. Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman of the inquiry, recommended immediate compensation for the surviving victims and the spouses of those who died because of the “profound physical and mental suffering”. Now the government is offering them £100,000 each. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “While nothing can make up for the pain and suffering suffered by those affected by this tragic injustice, we are taking action to do right by the victims and those who have tragically lost their partners by making sure they receive these interim payments as soon as possible. “We will continue to stand with all those affected by this horrific tragedy and I want to personally pay tribute to all those who fought so resolutely for justice.” Image: Lauren Palmer said she was unable to live a normal life But there is still nothing for people like Lauren Palmer, 38, who lost both her parents in the scandal when she was just nine. Lauren’s father, Steven, was given factor VIII and died of AIDS in August 1993. Image: Lauren was just nine years old when her parents died She had unknowingly infected her mother who died the same month. Lauren had to be cared for by other family members. But under the government’s plan, bereaved parents, or bereaved children, will not receive a payment. He said: “How can they have this differentiation – this hierarchy between bereaved families? I mean all their lives matter as much as the next person. “I wasn’t able to live a normal life as such, where I had the stability of having two parents to support – to go through education and go to university, to be able to stay at home long enough to save for a down payment on a house . “Well, I haven’t done any of that. I’m just going to university now.” The government plans to make payments to those who have been infected and lost partners in England by the end of October. The same payments will be made in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The intention is that the payments will be tax-free and will not affect other financial benefits that an individual may receive. This is a hard-fought victory for some, but decades overdue, and many who have suffered are still waiting for recognition.
