‘Well overdue’: $1 billion towards new health facilities in rural FNQ

More than $1bn will be spent revamping health facilities across Queensland communities including in Doomadgee, Bamaga, and other remote areas of Cape York under a “well-overdue” Queensland government initiative.

MORE than $1bn will be spent revamping health facilities across Queensland communities including in Doomadgee, Bamaga, and other remote areas of Cape York under a “well-overdue” Queensland government initiative.

The upgrades will also include the Cow Bay Primary Health Centre in Douglas Shire.

Douglas Shire Council Mayor Michael Kerr said the Cow Bay facility was a “rickety old building” which the council had been asking government to fix for years.

“This kind of funding is well overdue … we’ve been asking for this funding for years,” he said. “The designs under way are beautiful and will make such a huge difference to the community.”

Construction in Doomadgee will start this year and is scheduled to finish in 2025.

Doomadgee Hospital.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath announced the new health facilities this week to replace existing facilities in the community.

“The building rural and remote health program is a demonstration of our commitment to ensuring all Queenslanders have access to world-class health care, no matter where they live,” she said.

“The program focuses on the replacement of ageing hospitals around Queensland.”

Ms D’Ath said the health facility in Doomadgee had served the community well but it was ageing and in need of replacement.

Of the new infrastructure, the new Doomadgee hospital and community health centre will continue to provide 24-hour inpatient, accident and emergency care while including clinical review and health education and promotion ­programs. Other Far North health facilities receiving upgrades as part of the $1bn program include Normanton Hospital and the Pormpuraaw Primary Health Care Centre.

Originally published as ‘Well overdue’: $1 billion towards new health facilities in rural FNQ