Premier John Brumby announced $662,000 in funding for medical equipment on a trip to Ballarat yesterday.

Mr Brumby said 41 regional and rural health services would share in $9.4 million in funding for state-of-the-art medical equipment.

"This will ensure they stay at the forefront of technology and are equipped to continue to provide the best possible care and treatment for patients and provide it sooner,'' he said.

Ballarat Health Services chief executive officer Andrew Rowe said the organisation had prepared a submission some months ago and had been successful in the number of items funded.

He said there had been a 27 per cent jump in the number of babies delivered at the Base Hospital in the past six years.

"Clearly that means that we require expanded levels of equipment,'' he said. "We are very pleased to have funding for a maternity ultrasound and baby resuscitaires."

The funding will also be used to buy three incubators, a telemetry monitoring system, an operating table, two transport monitors and six electric beds.