The Andrews Labor Government is giving Victorian hospitals the latest life-saving medical equipment and upgrading vital infrastructure to provide world-class healthcare for all Victorians and create hundreds of new jobs. 

Minister for Health Martin Foley today announced 76 health services will share $160 million in funding to ensure hospitals across the state can continue doing what they do best – saving lives.

Twenty-seven metropolitan and regional health services will share in $60 million from the latest funding round of the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program and Medical Equipment Replacement Program.

Cutting-edge equipment funded as part of the Medical Equipment Replacement Program include CT scanners, digital x-ray units, ultrasounds and heart imaging equipment such as transesophageal echocardiogram units.

Health services will also receive funding through the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program to upgrade and replace important equipment including generators, chillers, emergency lighting, patient lifts and water and fire service upgrades.

A further $100 million will deliver 76 infrastructure improvement projects at 54 regional health services, funded through the fourth round of the Labor Government’s landmark Regional Health Infrastructure Fund (RHIF).

The latest RHIF investment includes operating theatre refurbishments, new waiting rooms and hospital beds, accessible paths and ramps, additional consulting rooms and expansion projects and equipment upgrades.

Cohuna District Hospital received $2.74 million to refurbish its new operating theatre to include an improved recovery area. Winda-Mara Aboriginal Corporation in Heywood also received $1.63 million for a new health building that includes GP and nurse consulting rooms, as well as new rooms for dental, psychology and physiotherapy services.

The RHIF received a further boost in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 with an additional $120 million bringing total funding to $470 million and is the largest program of its type in Victoria.

Submissions for the next round of the RHIF open on 27 January 2021 and close on 9 March 2021.

The Budget also provided a $50 million boost to the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program and $35 million boost to the Medical Equipment Replacement Program.

Submissions for the next round of Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program and Medical Equipment Replacement Program open on 16 December 2020 and close on 8 February 2021.