英國因血液醜聞而感染的受害者每人將獲得10萬英鎊的賠償
資料來源：克爾斯滕·羅伯遜 / 2022 年 8 月 17 日 / Metro / 財團法人台灣紅絲帶基金會編譯
受害者家屬稱讚了這一消息——但他們為正義而戰還遠未結束（圖片：PA）
經濟補償將很快發放給陷入「NHS 歷史上最嚴重的治療災難」的數千人。
因血液醜聞感染的每個受害者都將獲得 100,000 英鎊。
政府今天宣布了這一消息，但活動人士表示，在伸張正義之前，還有「很長的路要走」。
在 1970 年代和 1980 年代，該醜聞導致大約 2,400 名透過受污染的血液製品感染 HIV 和C型肝炎的患者死亡。
Sue Threakall 的丈夫 Bob 在 1991 年因受污染的血液感染 HIV 後去世，他說尋找結束「不僅僅是錢的問題」。
她補充說：「這是對那些生命被摧毀的人的認可，年輕人在沒有父母的情況下長大成人，他們沒有得到認可，還有那些年幼的孩子死在他們父母的懷裡」。
「我們一直說總會有一些家庭不知道他們有資格申請什麼」。
「他們的生活本來可以得到更好的支持」。
Bob Threakall 的遺孀 Sue Threakall 在醜聞調查中提供證據（圖片：PA）
1991 年，鮑勃從受污染的血液中感染 HIV 後去世，享年 47 歲（圖片：PA）
政府表示，它打算在 10 月底之前向英格蘭的感染者和失去親人的伴侶支付賠償金。
蘇格蘭、威爾斯和北愛爾蘭也將支付同樣的款項。
即將離任的首相鮑里斯·強生今天表示，他希望將這筆錢支付給受害者及其倖存的伴侶。
他說：「雖然沒有什麼可以彌補受這種悲慘不公正影響的人所承受的痛苦和折磨，但我們正盡可能採取行動，確保受害者盡快收到這些臨時款項，以幫助那些不幸失去伴侶的人」。
「我想親自向所有如此堅定地為正義而戰的人致敬」。
因血液醜聞而感染的大多數人患有凝血障礙之血友病，並依靠定期注射美國產品第八 (VIII) 因子來生存。
因血液醜聞受感染進而導致約 2,400 名患者死亡（圖片：Getty Images）
馬克小時候在接受血友病治療時感染了受污染的血液（圖片：PA）
他們不知道他們正在從那些有償捐贈的人那裡接受到受污染的VIII因子，包括囚犯和吸毒者。
儘管政府高層多次發出警告，患者仍被給予該產品多年。
在首次感染數十年後，新的愛滋病毒和肝炎病例繼續被診斷出來，導致許多人過早死亡。
44 歲的馬克·福克斯（Mark Fox）在小時候因血友病接受已受污染的血液製品治療後感染了C型肝炎，他將成為獲得賠償的人之一。
來自達勒姆郡 Seaham 的前美容師說：「這不是關於賠償，而是關於有人應說對不起」。「是他們試圖把它藏起來，很多人試圖把它刷到地毯下——如果你搞砸了，那就要鼓起勇氣接受它。要長大，像一個成年人」。
預計明年調查結束時，將對更廣泛群體（例如失去親人的父母和受害者的子女）進行賠償的公眾調查提出最終建議。
活動人士說，這意味著受影響的家庭可能會失去臨時付款。
他們呼籲進行進一步談判，以確保將這筆錢迅速支付給最需要的人。
羅斯瑪麗·考爾德 (Rosemary Calder) 的 25 歲兒子尼基 (Nicky) 在接受了一種受感染的血液製品治療血友病後於 1999 年死於愛滋病毒，她也表達了這種觀點。
這位 74 歲的老人在她的兒子在學校被稱為「愛滋病男」後，全家從倫敦北部搬到了白金漢郡的紐波特帕格內爾，她說在通往正義的道路上還有「很長的路要走」。
來自北安普敦郡的羅斯瑪麗·考爾德失去了她的兒子尼基（圖片：PA）
他於 1999 年在接受受感染的血液製品治療血友病後去世（圖片：PA）
她說：「很多父母因為不得不放棄工作而遭受經濟損失，因為所有的恥辱而不得不搬家，人們失去了工作——這從未得到承認」。
「我認為[臨時補償]是朝著正確方向邁出的一步，但還有很長的路要走」。
時任首相德蕾莎·梅依於 2017 年宣布對這起醜聞進行調查，並於次年開始調查。
它在英國各地的聽證會上從 5,000 多名證人那裡獲取了證據，並將於明年結束。
該調查以來自患者及其家人的令人痛心的證據為特色，他們描述了對血友病患者感染愛滋病毒的風險一無所知。
許多人因害怕在愛滋病危機期間受到誹謗而被迫對自己的診斷保密。
此後，其他人指責政府進行了「工業化規模的掩蓋」，指控對患者進行了不適當的治療，在他們不知情的情況下對人們進行了測試，並且結果被隱瞞了數年。
來自布里斯托爾的勞倫·帕爾默 (Lauren Palmer) 在 1993 年她的父母在八天內死於愛滋病毒後成為孤兒。
勞倫·帕爾默 (Lauren Palmer) 與母親芭芭拉 (Barbara) 合影，失去了雙親（圖片：PA）
她在描述醜聞時說：「從一開始，一切都是錯」（圖片：PA）
「這一切都是可以避免的」，她說。
「然後人們竭盡全力隱瞞問題，不告訴病人它有多嚴重。一切從一開始就是錯的」。
慈善機構和競選團體現在呼籲制定一項專門的計畫，以確保盡快將補償送達需要的人。
血友病協會首席執行官凱特伯特說：「這是一個重大的發展。然而，大多數死者——包括死者的父母和孩子——將一無所獲」。
「現在必須採取措施建立一個可行的計畫，該計畫可以迅速、公平地向所有因 NHS 治療災難而遭受毀滅性損失的人提供全額賠償」。
與此同時，由受害者和家屬組成的非營利組織 Factor 8 也施加了迅速推出賠償金的壓力。
該組織的創始人傑森·埃文斯說：「首相今天表示，『我們將繼續支持所有受到這場可怕悲劇影響的人』，但他們對大多數家庭無能為力」。
「這是醜聞中的另一個醜聞」。
Victims of infected blood scandal to each get £100,000 in compensation
Kirsten Robertson / 17 Aug 2022 / Metro
Families of victims have praised the news – but their fight for justice is far from over (Picture: PA)
Financial compensation will soon be rolled out to thousands caught up in the ‘worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS’.
Each victim of the infected blood scandal is due to receive £100,000.
The Government announced the news today, but campaigners say there is a ‘long way to go’ until justice is served.
The scandal resulted in around 2,400 deaths of patients infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.
Sue Threakall, whose husband Bob died in 1991 after contracting HIV from contaminated blood, said finding closure is ‘not just about money.’
She added: ‘It’s about recognition of people whose lives have been destroyed, young adults have grown up their whole life without their parents and they have not been recognised, and parents whose young children died in their arms.
‘We’ve always said there will always be families out there who don’t know what they are eligible to claim. ‘
‘Their lives could have been so much better supported.’
Sue Threakall, widow of Bob Threakall, gives evidence at the inquiry into the scandal (Picture: PA)
Bob died aged 47 in 1991 after contracting HIV from contaminated blood (Picture: PA)
The Government said it intends to make compensation payments to those who have been infected, and to bereaved partners in England, by the end of October.
The same payments will be made in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today he wanted the money to be paid to victims and their surviving partners.
He said: ‘While nothing can make up for the pain and suffering endured by those affected by this tragic injustice, we are taking action to do right by victims and those who have tragically lost their partners by making sure they receive these interim payments as quickly as possible.
‘I want to personally pay tribute to all those who have so determinedly fought for justice.’
Most of those involved in the infected blood scandal had the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and relied on regular injections of the US product Factor VIII to survive.
The infected blood scandal resulted in around 2,400 deaths of patients (Picture: Getty Images)
Mark was infected with contaminated blood while being treated for haemophilia as a child (Picture: PA)
They were unaware they were receiving contaminated Factor VIII from people who were paid to donate, including prisoners and drug addicts.
Patients were given the product for years despite repeated warnings at the top of government.
New cases of HIV and hepatitis continued to be diagnosed decades after the first contaminations, resulting in many early deaths.
Mark Fox, 44, who contracted Hepatitis C after being treated with a contaminated blood product for haemophilia as a child, will be among those to receive compensation.
The former cosmetic technician from Seaham in County Durham, said: ‘It’s not about compensation, it’s about someone saying sorry.
‘It’s that they tried to hide it, and so many people tried to brush it under the carpet – if you mucked up, have the balls to accept it. Grow up, be an adult.’
Final recommendations from a public inquiry on compensation for a wider group of people – such as bereaved parents and the children of victims – are expected when the inquiry concludes next year.
Campaigners say this means families affected could lose out on interim payments.
They have called for further talks to ensure the money is paid out swiftly to those who need it most.
Rosemary Calder, whose 25-year-old son Nicky died in 1999 with HIV after being given an infected blood product to treat haemophilia, echoed this sentiment.
The 74-year-old whose family moved from north London to Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire after her son was called ‘Aids boy’ at school, said there is a ‘long way to go’ in the route to justice.
Rosemary Calder, from Northamptonshire, lost her son Nicky (Picture: PA)
He died in 1999 after being given an infected blood product to treat haemophilia (Picture: PA)
She said: ‘So many parents suffered financially because they had to give up work, had to move house because of all the stigma, people lost their jobs – that has never been acknowledged.
‘I think it [the interim compensation] is a step in the right direction but there’s a long way to go.’
An inquiry into the scandal was announced by then-prime minister Theresa May in 2017 and began the following year.
It has taken evidence from more than 5,000 witnesses during hearings across the UK and is due to conclude next year.
The inquiry featured harrowing evidence from patients and their families who described being kept in the dark about the risk of HIV infection among haemophiliac patients.
Many were forced to keep their diagnoses private through fear of vilification at the time of the Aids crisis.
Others have since accused the Government of an ‘industrial-scale cover-up’ amid allegations of inappropriate treatment given to patients, tests being done on people without their knowledge, and the results being withheld for several years.
Lauren Palmer, from Bristol, was orphaned after her parents died with HIV within eight days of each other in 1993.
Lauren Palmer, pictured as a baby with her mother Barbara, lost both parents (Picture: PA)
‘Everything from the start was just wrong’ she said in describing the scandal (Picture: PA)
‘This was all so avoidable,’ she said.
‘And then people went to great lengths to conceal the problem and not tell patients how serious it was. Everything from the start was just wrong.’
Charities and campaign groups have now called on a dedicated scheme to ensure compensation reaches people who need it as quickly as possible.
Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, said: ‘This is a significant development. However, the majority of the bereaved – including parents and the children of those who died – will receive nothing.
‘Steps must be taken now to set up a workable scheme which can deliver full compensation quickly and fairly to all those who suffered devastating loss because of this NHS treatment disaster.’
Meanwhile Factor 8, a non-profit organisation comprised of victims and families, has also piled pressure for a swift rollout of the compensation.
Jason Evans, founder of the group, said: ‘The PM has said today that “we will continue to stand by all those impacted by this horrific tragedy”, but they are doing nothing to help most families.
‘It’s yet another scandal within the scandal.’