Dad infected with HIV from tainted NHS blood expected to ‘die a horrible and painful death’
A DAD who caught HIV from tainted NHS blood had his funeral arranged in hospital as he was not expected to survive.
Perry Evans, 57, told his story on the first day of the Infected Blood Inquiry.
He said he was informed he had HIV in 1985 after receiving blood to treat clotting disorder haemophilia.
Perry said: “I was left to my own devices to go home and absorb the information.
“I would suffer and die a horrible and painful death. The outlook was brief and terminal.”
The dad of two who has had hepatitis C, infections, pneumonia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, thought his number was up in 2008. It followed problems bringing him out of an induced coma in hospital. He said: “They started to get a bit worried and our own vicar . . . he visited. I had my funeral arranged.”
‘HARROWING’ EVIDENCE
Married Perry, from Winchester, Hants made a full recovery.
The inquiry is examining the NHS’s worst treatment disaster in which thousands were infected with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1970s and ’80s through contaminated imported blood products.
Chairman Sir Brian Langstaff said he has read many of the witness statements, adding: “Some are harrowing; some incredibly moving; some chillingly factual. All are valuable.”
MOST READ IN HEALTH
The inquiry heard that NHS England has written to GPs to warn some patients may still not know they have been infected.
The greatest risk, hepatitis C, can show no symptoms until the liver is badly damaged.
The hearing will move around the UK and is due to take three years. It has started in London.
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