General Election 2017
This information is in no way meant as an attempt to persuade anybody’s vote on Thursday, 8th June 2017.
Haemophiliacs are born with a genetic blood disorder which prevents the blood from clotting. It can at times be life threatening and life expectancy once was a maximum of 21 years. This disabled group of people have faced many challenges leaving thousands damaged beyond repair both physically and psychologically due to the traumatic nature of the condition, and the subsequent events imposed on them.
Before blood clotting products were first introduced internal bleeding was treated with weeks of bed rest and the affected areas wrapped in ice and bandages. Nosebleeds would be treated with a cauterisation procedure, firstly with the use of snake venom and then cocaine. This technique along with medical advancements to treat the bleeding led to almost all suffers of the condition with irreversible damage to joints. As if that were not bad enough the treatments used for the condition can themselves impact on all major organs and bodily systems, such as kidney damage and renal function or heart disease and stroke .
It has long been established that haemophiliacs who received contaminated blood products during the 1970’s and 80’s are “unique”. The avoidable tragedy saw the mass infections of multiple strains of hepatitis, with subsequent genotypes, unique to haemophiliacs, along with multiple mutations of HIV. The use of filthy blood from paid “skid row donors,” British and American prisons, sub-Saharan Africa and many other unsuitable sources was seen as acceptable to those in pursuit of profits. Even using the blood extracted from cadavers was not seen as a step to far.
Those still alive today with bodies ravaged by over 30 years of surviving with multiple viruses, crippled joints damaged by their haemophilia and their mental health scarred from years of degradation and abuse face stigma, discrimination, poverty and contempt. The highly toxic and dangerously experimental chemicals used to make up treatments, left a trail of destruction with further life impacting health conditions.
Any civilised compassionate person and most people on the street would believe the British government is doing everything it possibly can to help and support this damaged, tortured, disabled group of people. Sadly this is not the case.
Despite years of cross party support and the determination of certain MP’s the Department of Health (DoH) continues to refuse to meet with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to discuss simplifying the processing of support. In fact as an identifiable group of unique people it would be an easy task to simply passport them from receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) to Personal Independence Plan (PIP). However they DoH has chosen to continue their cruelty by compounding the already known psychological damage by adding cuts to payments creating further distress and fear.
So to sum up:
1. An identifiable and unique group of vulnerable disabled people.
2. Given 100% infectious and highly life threatening, NHS supplied blood products.
3. Forced into poverty and onto State benefits, left begging to “charitable” trusts.
4. DWP has told MP’s DLA can be passported across to PIP but DoH refuses to meet.
5. The disabled facing more cuts to services and disability benefits.
6. With a criminal investigation pending these abuses cannot be overlooked.
Please vote and please vote wisely
