The UK’s infected blood inquiry report published its findings on Monday, May 20, finding a catalogue of separate failures amounted to 'a calamity.’
After the inquiry report, the Prime Minister of the UK, Rishi Sunak, apologised for failure over the infected blood scandal and called it a decades-long moral failure.
Here are all the details that you need to know about the infected blood scandal.
Between the 1970s and early 1980s, tens of thousands of people in the UK were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis after they were given contaminated blood or blood products, reported The Guardian.
As a result, more than 3,000 people have died, while others were left with lifelong health complications.
It was estimated that every four days, a person died due to infected blood or blood products.
Following years-long campaigning by the victims and their loved ones, finally, after more than three decades, former Prime Minister Theresa May ordered an inquiry in July 2017.
Till that time, 24,000 people had died due to the contaminated blood scandal. However, the number is now estimated to have exceeded 3,000.
May said thousands of patients expected “The world-class care our NHS is famous for, but they failed”.
According to BBC, the infected blood inquiry is known as the biggest treatment disaster in the NHS. The inquiry accused doctors, NHS, and government of letting people catch HIV and hepatitis.
The inquiry found that authorities covered up the scandal and exposed the victims to unacceptable risks.
Responding to the public inquiry report, Sunak called it a ‘day of shame for the British state.’
While apologising to the victims, their families, and citizens, he said, “Today's report shows a decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life. I want to make a wholehearted and unequivocal apology."
Sunak also promised to pay ‘whatever it costs’ in compensation payments to victims.
