Another step on an important journey

Associate Health Minister Tariana Turia is always pleased to visit the Far North, but her official opening of a dental services suite for Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika in Kaitaia last week gave her special pleasure.

Oral health, she said, was vitally important, but had tended to be overlooked while "huge" focus was directed to other areas.

"Somehow we seem to have lost sight of teeth," she said, although oral health had enormous ramifications, not only in terms of overall health but even the ability to find employment.

She congratulated Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika on taking another step in what had already been a very successful journey, and on its vision for the people of Te Hiku, but warned that there was still much work to be done, particularly in the North, and called on DHBs to place much greater emphasis on the health of whanau.

"Whanau Ora is a small but important part of this," Mrs Turia said.

"The days of targeting health services at individuals are over. We have to start thinking about all the other things, like warm homes and employment, that have an impact on our health.

"I'm not going to depress everyone today by talking about those issues, but we have to think about what we can do to address them, or how we can join with others who are working in those areas."

The Minister was also pleased to see so many kuia and kaumatua at Wednesday's function, including Kaitaia man Ossie Perry, who had been "spreading the Gospel of Whanau Ora" long before it became fashionable or part of government policy.

"So often governments seem to miss the point," she said.

Meanwhile Far North Mayor Wayne Brown said he was also attending the function as a customer of Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika, one who never failed to say a small prayer whenever he walked through a dentist's door.

He agreed with the Minister that the opening of dental services (accomplished by the transfer of two formerly private practices in Kaitaia to the complex in what used to be Kaitaia Hospital's nurses' home) represented a significant step forward in terms of meeting the health needs of Te Hiku.

Te Tai Tokerau MP Hone Harawira also noted that Mr Brown had played an important role in the establishment of dental services. Mr Harawira had been in Alice Springs when he received a text message from Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika CEO Bill Halkyard, to the effect that Far North District Council had stymied the process.

"I tracked Wayne down while he was on holiday in St Moritz, and when he got home he had it fixed in half an hour," he said.

Mrs Turia made it clear that she too held Mr Brown in high regard.

"I don't think he has ever been absent from any Maori event I have attended here, and it's a big rohe," she said. "I can tell you, that doesn't happen anywhere else. I have no doubt that the concern he shows for our people is genuine."