UK prime minister urged to speed up compensation for infected blood scandal victims

By SYLVIA HUI
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he is committed to paying out compensation swiftly to thousands of people affected by the country’s infected blood scandal, which saw more than 2,000 patients die after contracting HIV or hepatitis from transfusions of tainted blood in the 1970s and 1980s. But the prime minister was heckled by survivors and affected families when he did not give a clear answer on when full payments will be paid out. Sunak testified Wednesday before the independent Infected Blood Inquiry. It was established in 2017 to examine how thousands of patients in the UK were infected with HIV or Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products. It was widely described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of Britain’s public heath service.