General News
17 October, 2024
$20M pledge on hospital
MAREEBA Hospital’s emergency department would be treated to a $20 million upgrade if Labor wins the State election in just 10 days’ time.
Premier Steven Miles and Health Minister Shannon Fentiman travelled to Mareeba to make the announcement beside current Cook MP Cynthia Lui.
Premier Miles said the major upgrade, which would be completed by 2028, would boost capacity to 16 emergency department beds including two additional resuscitation spaces, an extra isolation space, two additional adult and paediatric spaces and a safe assessment room.
The project would also deliver a dedicated space to digitally link Mareeba Hospital and Cairns Hospital to ensure patients requiring extra care can be remotely monitored and stabilised.
“I’ve made it clear to Queenslanders that no matter where you live, I will deliver for you,” Mr Miles said.
“In Mareeba, we know the health care needs are changing and the current facilities need an upgrade to meet future demand.”
Both the Premier and Health Minister attributed the commitment on the hospital to the “passionate” advocacy by Ms Lui.
“My community is growing and changing, and so are our health needs,” Ms Lui said.
“With this funding, the Miles Labor Government is doing what matters to improve the health outcomes of this region.”
Since 2020, the Labor Government says it has invested more than $6.2 million in the Mareeba Hospital. That includes the $2.9 million medical imaging department extension that delivered a CT scanner for the region, a $950,000 refurbishment of the operating theatre and the recently completed $425,000 upgrade to the palliative care area.
When pressed at the media conference, Ms Fentiman admitted that a much-needed dialysis machine for Mareeba was not part of the hospital upgrade commitment.
