THE United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Zambia has partnered with the Government to enhance the campaign against cholera.

And cholera cases have increased from 30 to 40 in Lusaka over a week with Chipata Township recording the highest cases.

Ministry of Health spokesperson Reuben Mbewe said measures were being put in place to correct the situation.

The UNICEF campaign would start with the showing of a cartoon titled "SOPO" tomorrow to help sensitise citizens, especially children, on the need to use good sanitation and hygiene practices to prevent cholera during the rainy season.

UNICEF Zambia officer-in-charge Charles Lolika said in a statement yesterday it had been observed that cholera affected the same townships every year in Lusaka

Last year, the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) asked UNICEF and other partners to assist in preparing to combat water diseases in the rainy season.

Mr Lolika said children were highly susceptible to diseases caused by a lack of effective sanitation and poor hygiene.

He said more than 5,000 children under the age of five died everyday as a result of diarrhoeal diseases, caused in part by unsafe water, lack of access to basic sanitation facilities and poor hygiene.

"By washing hands with soap, families and communities can help reduce child morbidity rates from diarrhoeal diseases by almost 50 per cent," said Lolika.

The "SOPO" cartoon was produced by UNICEF in Malawi, with support from UNICEF's regional office in Kenya and educates children about health hygiene practices.