Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang Nyong'o has stressed on the need for Kenya to put her foot down if she is to successfully fight the war against the emerging cancer menace.
This follows several high profile deaths related to the same disease, the latest ones being those of Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso and Kibra MP Ken Okoth.
Speaking at the burial of Laboso in Kisumu county on Saturday, Nyongo said that a hard task lies ahead for Kenya, and must be done beginning from the foundation.
The ex-Health Minister advised President Uhuru Kenyatta, who was also in attendance, to begin the job by investing in research, education and collaboration between relevant bodies.
"We have a long way to go Mr President. We really must invest in research and education and specialization. Let us realize that the job is big. Let us work together in developing human resources which will help us fight cancer," the county boss said in a video he shared on his Twitter handle.
Nyong'o who is also battling cancer advised that establishing cancer centres alone will not be effective if there lacks the required expertise to run the facilities.
"You can build a cancer centre but without a medical physicist we will not know how to run a linear accelerator which is used for radiation," he noted.
The governor also called for a union between universities and county governments as one of the best weapons that can be used to develop human resources for the purpose.