Hepatitis Victim's Fight

From Hepatitis C Resource Centre

Hepatitis victim's fight

By: HAYMAN Kamala

The Press (Edition 2, Page 1)

Dec. 30, 2005

A Golden Bay woman who contracted hepatitis C from a contaminated blood transfusion has missed out on $44,000 in government compensation by two weeks.

Pat Hayter, 89 tomorrow, was given a blood transfusion during a cervical cancer operation in January 1990. The blood was contaminated with hepatitis C.

Ten years later, Hayter began to suffer symptoms of the potentially fatal liver disease -- extreme fatigue and nausea -- and tests confirmed hepatitis C was active.

But her bad run was not over.

In 2000, the Government admitted hepatitis C screening of blood and blood products was not funded until mid-1992 -- more than two years after a test became available. It offered $44,000 in compensation to those who became infected with hepatitis C between February 1990 and July 1992.

Hayter's operation fell two weeks outside the eligible dates.

Instead, after a long battle with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), finally settled by the Dispute Resolution Service, she was awarded $505.20 to cover her medical costs -- minimal because she was too old for treatment -- plus a weekly impairment allowance of $35.20. Hayter said she now felt "tired all the time" and was convinced her symptoms were more than just old age. "I've always been very energetic and never done anything slowly in my life. Now I have to." She forced herself to eat, and took sleeping pills at night.

Her companion, David Amos, said that on a recent trip to Motueka, Hayter had to walk a short distance from the car to the shop. "She was shuffling along at a pace that wouldn't tire a snail. It was pathetic to see. That's the hepatitis C."

He said it was "ridiculous" Hayter had not only had to battle ACC for support, but had missed out on government compensation. "The whole thing just stinks."

England and Scotland offered compensation to people infected with hepatitis C from contaminated blood before September 1991 -- not because of government culpability, but "on compassionate grounds", he said. ACT health spokeswoman Heather Roy said Hayter's case was "very, very unfortunate", and the lesson from the bad- blood saga of the 1990s was that health ministers and the Health Ministry should listen to expert advice and "not assume they know best".

To A2 From A1

The Christchurch manager of the Hepatitis C Resource Centre, Bill Jang, said Hayter should challenge her exemption. His organisation was forming a database of those similarly affected.

The Haemophiliac Foundation has also been pushing for government compensation for victims of contaminated blood products dating back to the late 1980s. In April, it proposed a compensation deal that the Government is still considering.

Yesterday, Health Minister Pete Hodgson's press secretary, Jason Knauf, was unable to comment on what stage this process had reached. However, he said Hayter should write directly to Hodgson explaining her situation.

A Health Ministry spokeswoman said if Hayter's condition was deteriorating, she could apply to ACC for a review of her case. ________________________________________ Part: A Section: NEWS Sub-Section: NATIONAL Topics: HEPATITIS ; BLOOD ; ACCIDENTS Sub-Topics: NELSON-BULLER ; ECONOMICS

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