MPs debate welcomed by infected blood campaigners

A campaign for recognition of patients caught up in a 1980s contaminated blood scandal, has won an historic House of Commons debate.

Pontypridd MP Owen Smith won the debate, the first led by backbench MPs, after one of his constituents died.
Haemophiliac Leigh Sugar, 44, died in June of liver cancer caused by Hepatitis C he contracted through contaminated blood in the 1980s.

His family joined campaigners lobbying for compensation.

Mr Smith said Thursday's debate was "hugely" important and he hoped it would be the first step to a full inquiry and a UK government-backed compensation scheme.

Almost 5,000 people contracted HIV and Hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood products in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The blood products were given to patients suffering with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders.
An independent public inquiry into the matter was held in 2007, chaired by Labour peer Lord Archer of Sandwell,
Lord Archer's report called it an "horrific human tragedy".

The independent inquiry was funded with private donations as successive governments rejected demands for a full inquiry.

The current scheme of pay-outs to victims is funded by private donations and charitable organisations.
Pontypridd MP Owen Smith said he hoped Thursday's House of Commons debate would be the first step to a full government inquiry and a government-backed compensation scheme.

He said: "Hopefully they will do what we are asking for which is look after haemophiliacs who have been affected by this and make sure those families who have been impacted and the victims are properly recompensed.

"What campaigners want to see is proper recognition of the suffering that they've had. These were people who were infected with HIV and Hepatitis C while being treated quite often for very mild haemophilia.

"What they want to see is a recognition on the part of the government - and all governments have failed to do this properly - of their suffering.

'Justice'

Margaret Sugar, mother of Leigh Sugar from Pontypridd, attended a protest by campaigners outside the House of Commons on Wednesday.

She said: "As he got ill, the more sick he became, he said to my daughter-in-law this has got to come out. Nothing will bring my son back but what I want is justice.

Mr Sugar's cousin, David Thomas, 39, was also infected with contaminated blood in the early 1980s and has liver problems caused by contracting Hepatitis C.

He said: "It beggars belief we received this through the NHS.

"Successive governments for the last 20 years have known about the Hepatitis C virus and its cause through the receipt of contaminated blood products and have dodged the issue but hopefully now it's getting the airing it deserves."

Chris James, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society said "This is an historic moment for parliament but more significantly for the afflicted and bereaved of the contaminated blood disaster."

Source:www.bbc.co.uk    http://tiny.cc/1ll3w