Dankotuwa Porcelain manufactures customised steam inhalers for homes and healthcare establishments

From left: Ministry of Health Deputy Director General Medical Services II Dr. Amal Harsha De Silva, Dankotuwa Porcelain Chief Executive Officer Channa Gunawardana, Royal Fernwood Porcelain Director/Chief Executive Officer Yoshan Fernando, Kotalawela Defense University Sri Lanka Lecturer of the Department of Surgery specialising in Neurosurgery at Teaching Hospital Dr. Charith Nanayakkara 

The Dankotuwa Steam Inhalers

• Custom-made specialised inhalers (steamers) designed by Dr. Charith Nanayakkara, Lecturer, attached to the Department of Surgery General Sir John Kotelawala Defense University who specialises in neurosurgery 
• Dankotuwa Steam Inhalers are ideal for patients who have nasal congestion, runny nose, ‘sinus’ type headaches, intractable cough and respiratory tract related issues such as chest infections. It is therefore considered beneficial for COVID-19 patients as steam inhalation is currently being used at National Institute of Infectious Disease (IDH) Colombo which is treating over 100 patients at the moment
• Dankotuwa Steam Inhalers can also be used at home and is considered very useful in prevention of multiple throat and respiratory tract related infections
  
  
  
   

Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, renowned for its luxurious and elegant porcelain tableware introduced the all new customised steam inhaler which is ideal for individuals affected by respiratory tract infections including COVID-19. Designed and advised by Dr. Charith Nanayakkara, this modified steam inhaling device will be made available at hospitals and quarantine centres currently providing medical care for patients affected by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The Dankotuwa steam inhaler is also easy to use and can be utilised at homes for prevention of multiple respiratory tract related conditions. It is also noteworthy that this product is a modified version of the existing steam apparatus called the Nissen Steamer which is considered outdated but is currently being used by hospitals. 

Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC, a subsidiary of Ambeon Holdings PLC commenced its commercial operations in 1984. From superior glazing technologies, personalised designs and endless options, the company continues to create timeless and modern collection of porcelain-ware that expresses exclusive dining experience for every occasion. 

“At a time when health officials and governments are battling to create a better place amidst current global pandemic, the Ambeon Group is pleased to be able to contribute towards this effort and serve the people of Sri Lanka and the world,” stated Ambeon Capital PLC and Ambeon Holdings PLC Group Managing Director Murali Prakash.

“As a member of the Ambeon Group, Dankotuwa Porcelain is a brand that continues its quest for innovation, serving the countries and communities that it operates. We believe that with Dankotuwa Porcelain’s all new steam inhaler Sri Lanka and the world will benefit immensely to treat many respiratory tract related illnesses and discomforts and stay healthy. As per medical advice and insights, the steam inhalation can help immensely in the prevention and treatment of many respiratory related conditions which includes infections such as COVID-19. 

“We are also trying to make the product more affordable across nations. Once manufacturing operations are enabled fully, we intend producing this in bigger batches for the benefit of the community at large. Our appreciation to team Dankotuwa on their swift action in turning this product at this crucial time,” concluded Prakash. 

Special features/benefits of the Dankotuwa Steam Inhaler 

• The Dankotuwa Steam inhaler comes with a nasal steaming tube which will help to directly focus the steam to the mouth/nose. This will give a closer path for the inhaled steam to move towards the Frontal Sinus when treating Frontal Sinusitis (Frontal Sinus is the sinus that one has right above the eyes. This is also a common sinus which causes sinusitis and headache). 
  
   
• The rubber tube which was used in the first batch of inhalers produced is intended to be modified and replaced with porcelain, so that it could be sterilised and cleaned easily thus would trap less germs. This will also ensure that germs will be killed, avoiding transmission from one patient to another, even if the inhaler is shared.
  
   
• The product is easy to use and can also be used in the household setup as it could be disinfected easily using household disinfectant chemicals or boiling. 
  
   
• All Dankotuwa products are lead and cadmium free and do not use animal bone ash. Therefore, this all-new Dankotuwa steamer is even safer than the apparatus that is and was used commonly in hospital wards for centuries. 

Commenting about the product Dr. Charith Nanayakkara Lecturer of the Department of Surgery specialising in Neurosurgery at Teaching Hospital, Kotalawela Defense University Sri Lanka stated, “It is with great pleasure that we introduce this all-new steam inhaler manufactured by Dankotuwa Porcelain. As a doctor in the neurosurgical field I come across a lot of patients with headaches due to sinusitis. (They consult us because they fear it is a sinister problem in their brain). I have personally used steaming as a treatment method in these patients and have witnessed how powerful it is. I will soon publish an article with my data and experience with steam in such patients so that the ‘scientific community’ will receive statistical data to value and appreciate the science behind this technique. It is a technique that is extremely simple and can be used even in the most underprivileged/non-medical setup. We believe that this technique could be used even in the households of COVID-19 patients which applies to countries that have an overwhelming number of patients at this hour. We are planning on making ‘Dankotuwa Steamers’ available to countries like the USA, Italy, France so that they have a versatile simple weapon to combat COVID-19 as we believe that it’s high time that we Sri Lankans took care of the world as well,” Dr. Nanayakkara concluded.

Benefits of steam inhalation 

According to Dr. Nanayakkara, steam inhalation is a treatment method that has been used for over a thousand years in Ayurveda medicine and Western medicine. 

• As a tried and tested methodology, steam inhalation is safe for human use and has no side effects of any sort.
  
   
• Steam inhalation is also used by physiotherapists when conducting chest physiotherapy and by nursing officers on a regular routine basis to clear lungs of secretions. 
  
   
• Steam inhalation also works differently from a nebuliser, as it is free from the usage of drugs (if it is just naked hot water steam), merely using heat as the therapeutic agent. 
  
   
• Steam inhalation is a treatment method used for nasal congestion, sinusitis, runny nose, ‘sinus’ type headaches, intractable cough and facial steaming in cosmetic field.

How the Dankotuwa Steam Inhaler works

• Pour in the boiling hot water into the Dankotuwa Steam Inhaler and inhale through the mouth
  
   
• One needs to be cautious as hot water and steam can burn. Hence ensure that the hotness of the water is like when one is drinking a hot cup of tea (hold the palm against the spout on the lid)
  
   
• For patients with chest infection, steam inhalation is currently prescribed twice a day. However, this frequency can be adjusted according to the requirement
  
   
• Naked steam is best. Sometimes menthol is used. This is to make steaming more pleasant rather than for significant therapeutic benefit. 

Recipient of the best exporter in the ceramic and porcelain product category of the Presidential Export Awards and the Gold award winner of the NCE export Awards 2019, the elegance, sophistication and superiority of Dankotuwa Porcelain has earned for the company a reputation for being the best in Asia, Europe and the US. Both Dankotuwa Porcelain PLC and Royal Fernwood Porcelain Ltd. are also reputed manufacturers of porcelain tableware and gift items for global giants such as Oneida, Macy’s, Lenox, John Lewis, Crate & Barrel, Megros, Jasanmal, Ralph Lauren, the Walt Disney Company and Dilmah. 

Within the milieu of growth, the Group continues to progress in the areas of Social Compliance Initiative and Monitoring Systems, which demonstrates its commitment towards maintaining overall social standards while conducting its business.