[Stoves] report with dissapointing results from cleaner cookstoves

[Tom Miles]

Roger,

Good comments. Finding a principal cause can't be easy in those conditions. 

Tom 

-----Original Message-----
From: Stoves [mailto:stoves-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Roger Samson
Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2016 12:21 PM
To: Discussion of biomass cooking stoves <stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org>
Subject: Re: [Stoves] report with dissapointing results from cleaner cookstoves

I read the study a little deeper. These were poor households found within a poor country http://www.africanliberty.org/malawi-the-poorest-country-in-africa-whats-the-problem-peter-yakobe/

To me its likely the severity of the poverty was a much more important factor than indoor air pollution as a causal factor of pneumonia. I think there are many on this list and in the GACC management that dont appreciate how its weak immune systems associated with chronic malnutrition that is the primary cause of disease. About 1 in 6 in malawi are undernourished so you have to think in those poor households the numbers are likely 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 in the stud being malnourished.

Also malawi is quite dry, it might have been they do a lot of outdoor cooking and meals cooked indoors primarily in the rainy season. Can anyone comment on that? I remember reading a  report done in the Philippines and they used well ventilated bamboo hut kitchens and there was quite good air quality in the cooking areas. 


The bottomline may be there is no quick fix to improving health of the poor by using an improved cookstove. That might just be wishful thinking on the part of GACC.  To improve health you need a comprehensive strategy that includes clean water and improved nutrition as the first entry points to improving health. 

regards
Roger Samson

  



--------------------------------------------
On Wed, 12/7/16, Xavier Brandao <xvr.brandao at gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [Stoves] report with dissapointing results from cleaner cookstoves
 To: stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org
 Received: Wednesday, December 7, 2016, 2:23 PM
 
 
   
 
     
   
   
     Hi all,
 
     
 
     My 2 cents: it is surprising that the authors of the  study did not
     think of including electric plates in the range of  cookstoves
     tested.
 
     
       with the electric plates, they would have been  able to prove
         if clean cookstoves do make a difference in the  health of users,
         even with all ambient pollution around (buses,  garbage burning,
         etc.), as Crispin mentions
       they would have been able to prove whether or not  improved
         woodstoves do make a difference in the health of  users
     
     Did they make sure there was no stove stacking?
 
     
     Seems they'll have to do this study all over  again?
     Best,
     Xavier
 
     
     
 
     
   
 
 
 -----Inline Attachment Follows-----
 
 _______________________________________________
 Stoves mailing list
 
 to Send a Message to the list, use the email address  stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org
 
 to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web  page  http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org
 
 for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information  see our web site:
 http://stoves.bioenergylists.org/
 
 

_______________________________________________
Stoves mailing list

to Send a Message to the list, use the email address stoves at lists.bioenergylists.org

to UNSUBSCRIBE or Change your List Settings use the web page http://lists.bioenergylists.org/mailman/listinfo/stoves_lists.bioenergylists.org

for more Biomass Cooking Stoves,  News and Information see our web site:
http://stoves.bioenergylists.org/