Dargaville turned on a beautiful Sunday morning to celebrate the 70th birthday of Dargaville Hospital.
By way of a very concise history, former Northland Hospital Board Chairman Melvin Williams laid the hospital's foundation brick in 1953.
The official opening on February 25 1956 was attended by a large gathering of people all dressed in their Sunday best, for what was seen as an auspicious achievement for the area.
The maternity annex opened in October 1971, Replacing the facility at Te Kopuru Hospital. Later on February 26 1999 the then Health Minister Annette King opened the Total Care Health Centre which incorporated Kaipara GPs in the Dargaville Medical Centre.
Over time more facilities and services have been added.
The celebration was officiated by Kaumatua Rex Nathan and attended by MP for Northland Grant McCallum, Kaipara Community Health Trust CEO Debbie Evans, and Health New Zealand Northland Group Director of Operations Alex Pimm.
Following the celebration as part of the hospital open day, a tour of the facilities was carried out including the new oncology unit and the mobile surgical unit currently on site.
Dargaville Hospital is an essential service for the western Kaipara area that must be protected and retained.
Photo: L to R Mayor Jonathan Larsen, MP for Northland Grant McCallum, Kaipara Community Health Trust CEO Debbie Evans, Health NZ Group Northland Director of Operations Alex Pimm, Dargaville Medical Centre Practice Manager Judy Harris, Dargaville Hospital Operations Manager Jen Thomas
Photo: With Councillor Joesephine Nathan and Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth at Dargaville Hospital
Photo: Inside the mobile surgical unit
