'Day of Shame...': Rishi Sunak Apologises, Vows Compensation to Infected Blood Scandal Victims

London: UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday issued an apology for the country's failures over the infected blood scandal and called it a ‘day of shame for the British State’ as it could not avoid the massive misconduct.

Calling it a decade-long failure, Sunak responded to the public inquiry report into the scandal, which affected 30,000 people from infected blood treatments. The report found that authorities did a cover up to the scandal and exposed victims to deadly health risks.

According to reports, more than 30,000 people in the UK were given the contaminated blood between 1970s and 1990s, triggering health risks of HIV and hepatitis, the the Infected Blood Inquiry concluded.

The victims were those who needed blood transfusions for accidents and in surgery, and those suffering from blood disorders such as haemophilia who were treated with donated blood plasma products, as well as the partners of those infected. 

The scandal claimed lives of some 3,000 people and more will follow in what could be termed as the biggest medical disaster in the decades old history of UK State-run National Health Service (NHS). 

What Sunak Said? 

Responding to the report, Sunak apologised to the victims and vowed compensation. “On behalf of this and every Government stretching back to the 1970s, I am truly sorry,” he said. 

“Time and again people in positions of power and trust had the chance to stop the transmission of those infections and failed to do so”, he added, promising “whatever it costs” to compensate victims.

The total state budget to compensate victims is likely to be above $12 billion when the government announces the package on Tuesday.