Chaibasa, Oct. 26 -- In a shocking incident, five children suffering from thalassemia contracted HIV after being administered infected blood during transfusions at a hospital in Jharkhand's Chaibasa, prompting the State government to order a high-level investigation and suspend several officials.

Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the issue came to light two days ago and termed it an "extremely serious" matter.

"The matter of possible HIV infection through blood transfusion in children suffering from thalassemia is extremely serious. Two days ago, this issue came to my attention, after which I immediately ordered a high-level investigation," the minister said in a statement on social media platform X today.

The Minister said t...