Nairobi,On Friday it has been announced by Kenya's health officials that the formation of a National Cancer Control Programme to help manage the rising cases of cancer in the country.

A forum on cervical cancer screening in the capital Nairobi that the agency will be operational from July, said, Principal Secretary in the Health Ministry, Nicholas Muraguri.

Muraguri added,"There are 40,000 new cases of cancer and 35,000 deaths per year in Kenya".

Muraguri said cancer was a major public health concern in Kenya and the government was in the process, through the proposed new agency, to avail vaccine and upgrade health facilities in the country.

"We are in the process of improving the availability, quality and accessibility of cervical cancer prevention, treatment and care," Muraguri added.

According to him, government was set to open four training centres for cancer control in December.