A new 30-bed drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation facility has officially opened in Wangaratta, allowing more regional people to access treatment closer to home.
Operated by Gateway Health and Odyssey House Victoria, the Greta Road facility is designed to provide a home-like environment for people recovering from addiction.
It includes 24-hour care for people who have been through withdrawal or stabilisation and need to continue their treatment, single and double bedrooms with shared spaces, including bathrooms, a kitchen and lounge area and a landscaped outdoor section.
The centre was delivered via a $52.1-million state government initiative to build three new alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation centres in regional Victoria.
The Wangaratta, Corio and Traralgon centres are expected to help an additional 900 people each year.
The Member for Northern Victoria, Jaclyn Symes, said it was important for regional residents have help at their doorstep.
"Helping to bring significant alcohol and other drug services to the north-east has always been a priority, because access to timely and local treatment options is a vital element for many country people getting the support they need," she said.
No word on hospital funding
The new Wangaratta rehabilitation centre was opened by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews amid continued concern about the region's health sector.
This month a Code Yellow was declared at the Albury, Wodonga and Wangaratta hospitals as the services struggled to keep pace with a huge surge in patients.
Pressure continues to mount for Victoria to help fund a new hospital for the cross-border twin city of Albury Wodonga.
This month the Member for Farrer, Sussan Ley, lodged a Freedom of Information request with the Victorian Department of Health, seeking a copy of Albury Wodonga Health's hospital master plan.
Mr Andrews did not make any commitments to the hospital development during his visit to the region.
"I am not here to make any announcements about that, but you can rest assured no government's invested more in regional health than our government," he said.
He said it was not just regional areas struggling to run their health systems — the state experienced a shortage of more than 2,000 health workers per day this month due to staff being furloughed with COVID.
Mr Andrews hinted that there would be some relief in the upcoming state budget.
"You will see in the budget a significant investment in health, as there always has been," he said.
