The contaminated blood scandal, one of the deadliest man-made disasters in postwar Britain, is set to come to a close as both the Conservative and Labour parties have pledged billions in compensation for victims. The final report of the public inquiry into this scandal will be published on Monday, revealing core findings that could pave the way for long-awaited justice.
The scandal began in the 1970s and 80s when tens of thousands of people were treated with disease-ridden blood products from the United States. These treatments led to infections with HIV and hepatitis, resulting in around 3,000 deaths. Evidence suggests that authorities ignored warnings about hepatitis risks associated with mass pooling of plasma products as early as the 1940s.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is preparing to approve a compensation package worth at least £10 billion for those affected by this tragedy. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is expected to make an official apology on Monday, acknowledging the state's failings and the suffering caused by this scandal.
The inquiry report will criticize various parties involved, including pharmaceutical firms, medical practitioners, civil servants, and politicians. It is also set to provide recommendations for preventing similar incidents from happening in the future.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps expressed anger over the infected blood scandal ahead of the report's publication. He acknowledged it as one of the most shameful failures of government and expressed dismay at the lack of accountability.
The victims and their families have waited decades for answers, with some campaigners calling for quicker compensation. The interim payments made in 2022 to around 4,000 surviving victims and some bereaved partners were not enough to cover the damages caused by this tragedy.
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