Jamshedpur, Oct. 27 -- The number of thalassemia-affected children who tested HIV positive at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital rose to six, prompting Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren to order the immediate suspension of the civil surgeon and other officials concerned, announce Rs.2 lakh financial aid for each affected family, and direct strict action against those responsible, officials said on Sunday. The Jharkhand high court has also taken suo motu cognisance of the incident and sought a detailed report from the state health secretary, officials added. After a seven-year-old thalassemia patient tested HIV positive on October 18, tests conducted by a five-member state-level inquiry team confirmed infections in four more children late on Saturday. Officials said one additional case has since been detected, taking the total number of HIV-positive thalassemia patients at Chaibasa Sadar Hospital to six. "The infection of children is a painful matter. The state government has taken it very seriously and will take strong action against those responsible. The health department must submit a report after conducting an audit of all blood banks. Lackadaisical attitude and negligence will not be tolerated in the health department at any cost," CM Hemant Soren said in a post on X, tagging health minister Dr Irfan Ansari. Dr Ansari replied to the CM, stating that the West Singhbhum civil surgeon, Dr Sushanto Kumar Majhi, the doctor in charge of the HIV unit, Dr Dinesh Chandra Savaiya, and the technician concerned had been suspended. Dr Bharti Goreti Minz, the additional medical officer in-charge of CSH has been given the additional charge of West Singhbhum civil surgeon, according to health department notification....