Gerard Collins
Ceist:76 Mr. Collins asked the Minister for Health the total amount of funding provided for hepatitis C victims; the estimated costs of providing compensation to the victims; and the number of cases involved. [11209/96]
Written Answers. - Hepatitis C Victims.
Limerick East): Funding in the sum of £2.49 million in 1994, £2.37 million in 1995 and £2.5 million in 1996 was/is being provided to the Blood Transfusion Service Board to support various programmes associated with hepatitis C. These include screening programmes to identify persons who have contracted hepatitis C from the use of blood products or blood transfusions; counselling services for persons who have been diagnosed positive for hepatitis C and an ex-gratia expenses scheme to ensure that persons who have contracted hepatitis C from a blood transfusion or blood product are in a position to avail of the screening, counselling and treatment services put in place for them.
Treatment for persons who have tested positive for hepatitis C from the use of blood products or blood transfusions is provided at special consultant-staffed clinics at six designated hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway. Total funding in the sum of £1.8 million was provided for these services in 1994; £1.98 million was provided in 1995 and £2 million has been made available in 1996. Treatment, including prescribed medication, is provided free of charge from the six designated hospitals.
Funding has been provided to support groups for persons who have contracted hepatitis C from the use of blood products or transfusions. A total of £5,000 was made available in 1994, £79,800 in 1995 and £149,500 in 1996 to Positive Action, Transfusion Positive and the Irish Haemophilia Society. An application for funding from the Irish Kidney Association to support its members who have contracted hepatits C was received by my Department this month and it will be given every consideration.
The tribunal to provide compensation to certain persons who have contracted hepatitis C from the use of human immunoglobulin-Anti-D, whole blood or blood products was established on 15 December 1995. The awards of the tribunal are calculated by reference to the principle which govern the measure of damages in the law of tort. I am not therefore in a position to estimate the cost of providing compensation but £60 million was set aside in a special fund under the Appropriations Act, 1995 in respect of awards expected to be made in 1996.
The tribunal has to date heard 64 cases — two of which have been adjourned for further hearing. Awards have been made in the other 62 claims, the total amount awarded being £6.67 million. The size of awards ranges from £15,000 to £324,321 and no award has been rejected. To date, approximately 1,400 persons have been identified as positive for hepatitis C infection.