Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev has dismissed the country's health minister and a regional governor after at least 55 children at a hospital were infected with the virus that can lead to AIDS.
A senior official said the president fired Health Minister Erbolat Dosayev and regional governor Bolat Jylkyshyev for serious shortcomings in their work.
He said the dismissals are linked to 55 children who contracted HIV while receiving treatment at the regional hospital in Shymkent. The treatments included blood transfusions and injections. He said Mr. Nazarbayev will personally supervise the investigation.
Kazakh health authorities have ordered HIV screening for thousands of children who have been treated at the hospital or had contact with the infected children.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and AP.
