Smokeless stove
An improved smokeless stove has been found to cause less health complications than the traditional three-stone stove. The Stoves and Household Energy Programme of the Intermediate Technology Development Group (ITDG) in Kenya has launched a campaign to promote this stove. A study conducted in rural Kenya has shown that acute respiratory infection and conjunctivitis is lower in house-holds using the new stove than in those using the traditional ones. Researchers found that respiratory infection was 23 per cent in the households using the new stove, compared to 59 per cent prevalent in households using the traditional stove. Children in households using the traditional stove were 2.5 times more susceptible to have conjunctivitis than in the other case. Stephen Gitonga of ITDG's regional Household Energy project, says that researchers from his organisation have looked into all aspects and found the stove more appropriate for communities. Gitonga believes that household smoke is a pollutant that needs to be addressed at all levels.