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We most welcome the comment by Thakur, van Schayck and Boudewijns[1] on our article on the effects and acceptability of implementing improved cookstoves.[2] Adoption rates of improved cookstoves by local communities are often strikingly low. Furthermore, funders, non-governmental organisations, and development institutions such as the World Bank should exclusively grant support for proposals and project plans with adequate implementation strategies that address the implementation factors in the tool. However, until clean fuels such as electricity are affordable and available for everyone (or until long-term research into well-implemented stoves proves us differently), we should strive for improved, evidence-based implementation of improved cookstoves, to ultimately improve environmental and health outcomes. 13 Quansah R. Effectiveness of interventions to reduce household air pollution and/or improve health in homes using solid fuel in low-and-middle income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis. [Extracted from the article]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most patients with chronic respiratory disease live in low-resource settings, where evidence is scarcest. In Kyrgyzstan and Vietnam, we studied the implementation of a Ugandan programme empowering communities to take action against biomass and tobacco smoke. Together with local stakeholders, we co-created a train-the-trainer implementation design and integrated the programme into existing local health infrastructures. Feasibility and acceptability, evaluated by the modified Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity, were high: we reached ~15,000 Kyrgyz and ~10,000 Vietnamese citizens within budget (~€11,000/country). The right engaged stakeholders, high compatibility with local contexts and flexibility facilitated programme success. Scores on lung health awareness questionnaires increased significantly to an excellent level among all target groups. Behaviour change was moderately successful in Vietnam and highly successful in Kyrgyzstan. We conclude that contextualising the awareness programme to diverse low-resource settings can be feasible, acceptable and effective, and increase its sustainability. This paper provides guidance to translate lung health interventions to new contexts globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]