Newsroom

March 28, 2022

KENNEDY MP, Bob Katter, is demanding an explanation from the Federal Health Minister after his Department told the Townsville Bulletin the funding of CT scanners for Ingham and Charters Towers was a State Government responsibility, despite the Federal Government funding a CT scanner for Bowen, in the marginal Dawson Electorate, under the current Minister.

Mr Katter says if the Federal Government can do it for Bowen, they can do it for these other two towns of equivalent population and need.

“I could become quite hostile indeed. I want an explanation as to why the Federal Government can do it in Bowen but not these other two towns?” he said.

“I will be demanding an explanation and quite frankly, some might say, there isn’t an explanation, unless you’ve made special allowances for one and not the other?

“Does this Government actually care about rural and regional health, or just winning elections?”

Mr Katter said the Councils and community health advocacy groups in Ingham and Charters Towers had rightly been pushing for the installation of Computed Tomography (CT) Scanners in their hospitals.

“The CT scanner is badly needed at Ingham Hospital as the private scanner is overused,” he said.

“Even more pressing is the need for a CT scanner at Charters Towers as it’s even further away from Townsville. It also services remote cattle stations and gold mines. Bowen got a CT scanner with an equivalent or smaller population to these two areas.

“A scanner is very important because it will pick up what an x-ray will not pick up. What the CT scanner picks up is often a matter of life and death. Whether it is a kidney stone, a cancer that could easily be removed, or a blocked artery.”

Hinchinbrook MP, Nick Dametto, said having access to a CT scanner at the Ingham Hospital would dramatically reduce the time required for diagnosis in emergency situations.

“In the case of stroke, life-saving anticoagulant drugs can be administered sooner to reduce the effects of a stroke and greatly reduce rehabilitation times,” Mr. Dametto said.

“Ingham has an aging community and we have waited long enough for these life-saving and essential hospital upgrades.

“The Bowen community received a CT scanner which was funded by the Federal Government and now the Health Minister, Greg Hunt is stating it’s a responsibility for the State Government.

“It appears that the Health Minister likes to move the goal posts when it suits him, and if he sticks by his latest comments, he condemns Ingham to miss out.

“Ensuring our regional towns have adequate medical equipment should be above buck passing and I’d expect more from our Federal Health Minister”.