IFGH 2010: Reducing Respiratory Illness Through Alleviating Kitchen Smoke

Globally, 2.6% of ill-health is attributable to indoor air pollution (IAP). Most deaths occur among 2.5billion low-income households in Africa and Asia, who cook using solid fuel. Approaches to identify interventions and scale up solutions addressing energy poverty for very diverse populations are needed. Mortality attributable to IAP from COPD, ALRI and cancer is around 1.965 million (WHO, 2004) – soon to be updated. By comparison, deaths due to malaria worldwide stand at nearly one million (WHO, 2008).

Participatory and technology-neutral approaches adopted in studies by the INGO Practical Action (to 2007) alongside the introduction of bioethanol stoves into Ethiopia by the non-profit Project Gaia (ongoing) will be outlined. Data from these projects as a proxy for health benefits and quality of life indicators, will be discussed. Successes and problems in implementation, and the use of cost-benefit analysis will be described.

All approaches (smoke hoods, LPG, low-cost interventions) achieved substantial (~70%) reductions in respiratory particulates and CO, and quality of life benefits (time, finance, status). These will be discussed within the context of poverty, awareness, priorities, fuel accessibility. Initiatives, including carbon finance and the recent Alliance for Clean Cookstoves http://cleancookstoves.org/ will be discussed as ways to address this major issue.

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