A Wiltshire woman is “angry” at the ongoing wait for justice after spending four decades suffering from hepatitis C following a blood transfusion.
Ann Swan, an artist in Rowde, is one of 30,000 people in the UK infected by contaminated blood treatments in the 1970s.
A public inquiry report, published on Monday, May 20, found many victims “died or suffered miserably” and needlessly because of “a catalogue of failures” which were later covered up.
In 1976 Ann underwent a blood transfusion and became ill shortly afterwards.
The 75-year-old was told she had jaundice and suffered from multiple bouts of illness over the next two decades, one of which kept her off work for nine months.
Ann Swan (Image: Ann Swan)
In 1995 she was finally diagnosed with hepatitis C.
She said she suffered for many years because of the infection, before finally being cured in 2017.
She said: “I knew I’d been infected with something when I became ill, I was told I had a low-grade virus and just had to get on with my life.
“It had a huge impact, I started to get ill, and it was debilitating, I couldn’t work and I think it led to the breakdown of my marriage.
“When I was diagnosed I had to live with the stigma because it’s something associated with drug addiction.”
The public inquiry found authorities covered up the scandal, and Mrs Swan is one of many whose medical records from the 1970s have been lost.
The government says a final compensation scheme is now being established, with some victims able to receive interim payments of £210,000 from this summer onwards.
Ann said she is still angry that this process has taken so long and hopes to see those responsible held to account.
She added: “Everyone should have been cured and received compensation by now, that’s the least they deserve, but it’s been delayed and delayed.
“I’ve been fortunate because some people really needed that compensation, families lost breadwinners and some of the stories are heartbreaking.
“This should have all been sorted 30 years ago but it feels like they’re waiting for us to die and you’re fighting apathy.
“It makes you feel so angry.”
Both Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who described the findings as a “day of shame for the British state”, and Labour leader Keir Starmer have apologised for the failings.
Mr Sunak 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."
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