Waikato DHB Refuses to Present Fluoridation Case to Public

Despite the DHB being an avid proponent of fluoridation, Craig Climo, Waikato District Health Board CEO, has turned down an opportunity for Principal Dental Officer, Rob Aitken and Dr Felicity Dumble to present the case for fluoridation at two upcoming public information evenings in Hamilton and Thames.

Mr Climo has advised Fluoride Action Network NZ (FANNZ) that “The only meetings the DHB is likely to attend regarding fluoridation are those held by territorial local authorities to make decisions about the use of fluoridation in public water supplies.”

This was the response to an invitation by FANNZ for the DHB to be part of a public Information Evening, run along the same lines that the South Taranaki District Council held recently in Patea and Waverley. “The fact that the DHB is not willing to stand in a public forum, in a neutral setting, should ring alarm bells for anyone whose water currently has hydrofluoroscilic acid (HFA) added to it due to the advice given by the DHB” says Mary Byrne, National Coordinator for FANNZ. “It also shows a complete disregard for the people living in the communities as it would seem the DHB does not give a toss about what the people think, so long as the councillors vote to keep adding this class 7 poison, HFA, to the community’s public drinking water.”

On the 18th of February, International fluoride expert, Professor Emeritus Paul Connett begins his speaking tour of New Zealand. A series of public information evenings are planned throughout the country with details on the FANNZ website and Fluoride Free New Zealand Facebook page. He will be speaking in Thames on the 18th of February and Hamilton on the 21st.

Both the Thames District Council and Hamilton City Council will be consulting with their residents on whether they want fluoridation to continue or not through this year’s draft annual plan.

“It is unfortunate that the DHB will not give people the opportunity to hear their case and be able to ask questions in a public setting. We urge people to attend these public forums so they can be well informed about this issue, although perhaps by attending they may understand the DHB’s reluctance to be in the public arena defending such an out dated, harmful and actually downright silly practice of adding a highly toxic chemical to everyone’s drinking water in the pursuit of saving a miniscule amount of dental decay in some children at the very best” concludes Ms Byrne.

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