The federal government has announced a $10 million investment to upgrade the maternity ward at Royal Darwin Hospital.
The announcement, made on Monday, will fund refurbishments to the hospital's existing birthing suites, maternity ward and newborn services, with the upgrades expected to be completed by late next year.
Following the closure of Darwin Private Hospital's maternity service in 2025, the government said up to 250 additional babies are expected to be born at Royal Darwin Hospital each year. The hospital is now the only facility in the city where women can give birth.
The expansion will include the construction of private bathrooms for the birthing suites and the addition of a general nursery within the maternity ward.
The funding will also deliver a dedicated bereavement room outside the maternity suites, along with a lactation room in the neonatal intensive care unit.
"All mothers and mothers-to-be deserve safe, affordable and accessible maternity care," federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said.
"Our $10 million investment means Territory mums, babies and families can access high-quality maternity [care] close to home."
The hospital was damaged during Cyclone Fina last year, prompting the then-NT Health chief executive to argue it was "literally creaking at the seams". Whilst the NT Government initially submitted a request for $35 million in federal funding for the hospital, a second request for $10 million was granted.
The government said the funding is new and will be reflected in the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook.
"Welcoming a baby is such an important part of life and we want to make sure that during that important time Northern Territory women can have their babies with the high-quality health care that they deserve close to home," the Prime Minister said on Monday, as reported by ABC.
Local MP Luke Gosling said the announcement "strengthens public maternity care... it does not replace the private maternity service Darwin lost".
"The NT Government now needs to work with private providers to restore that service and give Territory women genuine choice about where they give birth," he said.
