Wagga Base Hospital is to receive a $300,000 ultrasound machine within the next three months.

Director of Clinical Operations at Greater Southern Area Health Service, Dr Joe McGirr, yesterday said the hospital was in need of the medical equipment and would be receiving a machine shortly.

Patients at Wagga Base are currently required to go across the road to a private imaging group to undergo ultrasounds, a situation which Dr McGirr agrees is not ideal.

"We agree the Wagga Base Hospital needs an ultrasound machine and we've been successful in obtaining the funding to get that," Dr McGirr said. "There is no doubt the hospital should have an ultrasound machine so we've taken the steps to get one. "We have put an order in and there will be an ultrasound machine at Wagga Base in the next three months."

Dr McGirr said a letter published in The Daily Advertiser yesterday raised a "very valuable point" that Wagga, being the largest inland city in NSW should have such equipment at its hospital. "It's a fair point," he said. "It's a much-needed upgrade and it will mean patients won't have to travel across the road (anymore). "We've got the money, we've ordered it, it's coming."

The Daily Advertiser

Wagga Wagga

Tuesday September 6 2005