The Lindsay Tribunal has concluded taking testimony from people infected by contaminated blood products and relatives of those who have died. Three witnesses testified today, bringing to 29 the number of people who have given evidence in the first cycle of the Tribunals work.
One witness, using the pseudonym "Arthur" said that the diagnosis of his son as being HIV positive at the age of 6 came out of the blue. He said that neither he nor his wife knew that a blood test had been completed and were shocked when informed at a regular six monthly check-up meeting with Professor Ian Temperley. "Arthur" said that his son was diagnosed as having contracted Hepatitis C ten years later and, once again, the family did not know about the test. He concluded by saying that his son could possibly have to be buried in a body-bag and he was considering having the logo of the Blood Transfusion Service Board put on it.
Another witness, using the pseudonym "Damien" said that he was infected with both Hepatitis C and HIV and had only told his two youngest children about his status in the run-up to the Tribunal because of the stigma. He said that he was told at St James Hospital about his HIV diagnosis and was simply warned to have safe sex with his wife and told that the doctor would look after any infections. He said that he did not get any further help, his perception was that, once you got AIDS, you would be dead in a year or so. "Damien" said that his wife was pregnant at the time and he was extremely concerned that she and the unborn child might also be infected. Concluding, he said about the infection of 221 haemophiliacs that it really shouldn't have happened. "If every effort was made, we wouldn't have this result".
The final witness, calling herself "Nuala", spoke about her sister who had a rare and complicated blood disorder and contracted Hepatitis A B & C from contaminated blood products. She said that she believed there was a huge amount of chaos in the health care system and she had no faith in Galway Regional Hospital. "Nuala" said that her sister, who subsequently died, had suffered hell on earth and she wanted the Tribunal to establish if that could have been prevented. She and her family was very upset about attempts to have her sister put into a body-bag and felt she was being stigmatised even in death and treated as if she was unclean.
The Tribunal will now adjourn until 20 June, when it will begin inquiring into the actions of the Blood Transfusion Service Board.
