Columbia university team visits KHRC on the Biomass study

Biomass refers to biological material such as wood, crop residue and/or animal dung which in different communities could be used as fuel for cooking. The Kintampo Health Research Centre (KHRC) in collaboration with the Columbia university is carrying out a study known as the biomass study. The main aim of the study is to test the effectiveness of commercially available, low cost improved cook stoves in improving infant health outcomes from birth through six months of age. In particular, two hypotheses will be tested which are: Hypothesis 1. Use of improved cook stoves starting by the third trimester pregnancy will lead to a significant increase in average birth weight in newborns, and Hypothesis 2. Use of improved cook stoves will lead to a significant reduction in the rate of severe acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) during the first six months of life.

In connection with the biomass study, a five-member team from the Columbia university and biolite stove manufacturing company visited KHRC from 3rd to 7th October, 2011. The visitors included: Prof. Patrick L. Kinney, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences and Director, Columbia Climate and Health programme; Dr. Blair Wylie, Department of Obstetrics/Gynaecology, Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical Hospital; Madhavi Parekh, Columbia university/pulmonary medicine; Alec Drummond and Matt Nowicki from Biolite stove manufacturing company.

Speaking with the leader of the team, Prof. Kinney, he mentioned that women who smoke cigarette during pregnancy have smaller babies when they deliver and these babies are not as healthy as they should have been. Similarly, smoke from cooking might have some consequences on an unborn baby if pregnant women are exposed to it. The study would therefore find out whether it is true that pregnant women who are exposed to smoke from cooking suffer the same consequences like pregnant women who smoke cigarette. About 1000 households in the Kintampo North Municipality and the Kintampo South district are going to be enrolled into the study. Half of the pregnant women in these households will be using the new stove (biolite stove) which produces less smoke and the other half will continue with their usual cooking methods popularly referred to as “mokyeya” in Twi. At the end of the study, comparisons will be made between the two groups to see which group suffers more from exposure to smoke which will be a measure of the health outcomes of their babies.

During the visit, the team visited some communities to introduce the biolite stove to nine women. The women demonstrated using the stove to see how effective it is in cooking as compared to the traditional stove as well as its acceptability. The women were very positive about the stove in general in that they liked it, it worked well for most of the local dishes prepared, the food cooked with the biolite stove was more hygienic as compared to the traditional stove and it was less smoky compared to the local stove. One unique feature about the biolite stove is its ability to charge mobile phone during cooking.

As part of the visit also, 15 midwives from the Kintampo municipal and Jema hospitals were taken through the basics of conducting ultrasound for pregnant women.  

Prof. Patrick Kinney had this to say: “Our team from the Columbia university has been interacting and working with the KHRC for about five years to develop a plan for the study. We are very happy with the level of scientific endeavour here and the quality of the staff. We are also very excited about the opportunity to conduct this important study in collaboration with the KHRC”.   The study will span a period of four years starting in 2012.

For more info contact:

Kabio Casimir Donlebo (Communications Officer).
Kintampo Health Research Centre
P.O.Box 200
Kintampo.B/A.
Tel: +233 246 391916

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