Measurements reveal that typical 24-hour levels of Particulate Matter with a diameter of up to 10 microns (PM10) range from 300 to 3,000 micrograms per cubic metre, which is significantly higher than international ambient air quality standards, exposing poor women and children to a major public health hazard (WHO, 2006).
There is now consistent evidence that biomass smoke exposure increases the risk of childhood acute respiratory infections (ARIs), particularly pneumonia, which is the main cause of death in children less than five years of age worldwide.
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