In a statement sent to DW News, the World Health Organization (WHO)stressed that cooking with biomass fuels is one of the "most overlooked public health emergencies" in Africa. "The smoke generated contains extremely high levels of fine particulate matter (PM.), carbon monoxide, black carbon, benzene, and other toxic pollutants that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream," the WHO statement warned, adding that these exposures could lead to pneumonia in children, chronic respiratory and cardiovascular disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and preventable mortality.