A total of 55 children and two adults tested positive for the HIV virus in southern Kazakhstan, four of whom have already died.
"The Security Council assessed the situation in the South Kazakhstan Region involving the infection of 55 children [with HIV virus]," said Nurlan Abdilov, deputy secretary of the Security Council.
"Regional governor Bolat Zhalkyshiyev and Health Minister Yerbolat Dosayev were dismissed from their posts for the poor performance of their duties," the official said.
The Kazakh Prosecutor General's office earlier said a criminal case was launched in July, but that only 50% of 9,800 children under two, and all medics who had contact with HIV-infected children, have been examined.
Medics also failed to find and examine all 17 donors thought to be involved in the blood transfusion scandal.
Abdilov said Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev took the investigation into the infection case under his personal control.
