For want of a safer lamp

1. Remember this earlier story about the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) packing and shipping tens of thousands of 18kg-kits for the tsunami survivors in Aceh? One of the items in the kit is a kerosene lamp.

2. Now recall the incident of Heru, who just recently had his skin grafting operation after suffering burns in a refugee camp (here and here). Anyway, the earlier CNA (Jan 27) article reports that Heru suffered the burns when one of his siblings "kicked the kerosene lamp, spilling the kerosene on the cot and on the baby..." It wasn't reported if the offending lamp was supplied by the ICRC, but the time frame doesn't rule it out.

3. Anyway good news. From ST (Feb 6), "This 65-cent kerosene lamp can help save lives":

Picture taken from the Rolex Award writeup (.pdf file)

HAVING survived the tsunami, eight-month-old Heru now struggles to overcome severe burns on his body. The tragedy is that a 65-cent kerosene lamp could have spared him the pain.

Made in Sri Lanka, the lamp is a safer alternative to the one that toppled into Heru's crib, causing him to suffer 35 per cent burns.

But few seem aware of it. Now, its quiet existence is set to change.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which has been sending family kits that include China-made kerosene lamps, to Lhokseumawe and Banda Aceh in Indonesia, has expressed interest in the lamps.

Called a safe bottle lamp, it was invented by Sri Lankan surgeon Wijaya Godakumbura. It is short and heavy, with two flat sides and a screw-on metal lid. The lamp does not topple easily and, even if it does, will not roll, and will not spill the kerosene inside.

ICRC logistics coordinator Maik Schmidt, who is based here for a month to facilitate relief supplies to Aceh, told The Sunday Times that he sent information about the lamps to the Geneva office, which will determine their viability.

He came to know of it from the Singapore Red Cross Society, which had been informed by Professor Tommy Koh, Singapore's Ambassador-at-large.

Dr Godakumbura had won a Rolex Award for Enterprise in 1998, which recognises innovative projects. Prof Koh, who was a judge in the 1996 awards, had read of it in the Rolex Awards journal.

Heru had been flown here from Meulaboh for treatment last month after an Australian aid worker found him in a hospital ward. He is now in stable condition at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital intensive care unit.

The youngest of six children, he was burnt when a sibling knocked over a kerosene lamp that set his cot on fire.

With Dr Godakumbura's lamp, the kerosene would not have spilled as its screw-on metal lid would have prevented it.

The retired general surgeon, who is 64, was prompted to start the Safe Bottle Lamp project in 1992 by the appalling number of burn victims he treated.

He said in a phone interview: 'I was working at a hospital 100km away from Colombo, seeing a lot of burn injuries and wondering why we weren't doing anything about it.'

He recalled a pregnant woman, about 20 years old, who died of severe burns from a kerosene lamp.

In Sri Lanka, homemade kerosene lamps, usually made from discarded vitamin bottles, are common as about 30 per cent of homes are without electricity.

Dr Godakumbura said about 40 per cent of accidental burn injuries there are caused by unsafe lamps.

Today, about 530,000 of his lamps, which sell for about US$0.38 (65 Singapore cents) each, have been distributed in Sri Lanka. But three million unsafe lamps are still being used.

He said: 'I expected a lot of support after winning the award, but there has been little. I'm disappointed that I can't be of more use to the poor people, but we're doing good work and people are benefiting.'

Prof Koh agrees. He told The Sunday Times in an e-mail interview: 'Most people, including those procuring supplies for the tsunami victims, are not aware that the conventional kerosene lamp is dangerous and that there is a better alternative.'

An earlier Asiaweek article about Dr Godakumbura's lamp can be found here; for the Rolex Award, see here.

Portrait of Dr Wijaya Godakumbura, a surgeon from Sri Lanka, whose simple but effective invention, the Safe Bottle Lamp, helps combat one of his country's most serious health problems - the severe burns and disfigurements caused by dangerous, home-made, kerosene lamps that are unstable and highly inflammable. Photographer: Tomas Bertelsen (from the Rolex Award website)