HIV sufferers in cash plea for victims' families

HIV-POSITIVE haemophiliacs are to appeal to the Government for the families of dead victims to receive the same financial support as surviving carriers.

The Hongkong Haemophiliacs Association yesterday said victims who had died often left behind needy dependants who received as little as one-third of the amount awarded to the families of surviving victims.

The association chairman, who asked only to be identified as Mr Tse, said the support for the dependants of deceased patients was far from enough.

The Council for the AIDS Trust Fund, commissioned by the administration, had decided to offer the family of any victim who died a total of $300,000 from the $100 million ex-gratia payment the Government has promised.

In contrast, married victims who were still alive and had dependent children would receive $1 million each while those married without dependants would be eligible for $750,000.

Unmarried victims would get $600,000 while infected spouses and children would get $300,000 each.

Mr Tse said in a letter to be sent to the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Elizabeth Wong Chien Chi-lien, this week that the association still wanted AIDS Concern member Sister Maureen McGinley to be a member of the AIDS fund council.

Mr Tse said the association found it difficult to voice their opinion because the stigma of AIDS made many victims and their families shun publicity.

Only nine of the infected haemophiliacs or families of the minors turned up at their meeting on Saturday.

About seven infected members said they had no opinion and would not participate in the discussion.

More than 20 infected people who were greatly affected by the Government's decision had never turned up at any discussion of the possible compensation.

Mr Tse said: ''We are not united enough and it makes the association difficult to come up with a decision. They prefer to hide rather than fight for their rights because of the stigma of the disease.'' He said the association had tried unsuccessfully to encourage some infected members to share their experience and appeal to the public but they had confined themselves to speeches at professional meetings.

Meanwhile, Director of Health, Dr Lee Shiu-hung, yesterday revealed the Department of Health would try to get a share of the $200 million the Government had announced for medical and support services as well as $50 million for publicity and education.

The department could achieve more with more funding, Dr Lee said.

The medical and educational funds were part of the $350 million approved this budget year because of the special needs of AIDS patients in Hongkong and discrimination against them.

Dr Lee said the funds were open to applications from all groups, but the department had yet to work out the exact amount of money it would need.