The Maharashtra Health department and private firm Johnson and Johnson today entered into an agreement to train rural midwives and accredited social health activists about tuberculosis and maternal as well as infant mortality.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the government and the MNC in the presence of state Health Minister Deepak Sawant here today.He said that there are about 10,000 auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs) and 60,000 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the state and training would be imparted to them by the company at the district level.

He said that maternal and infant mortality rate is higher in nine districts of the state adding that in these districts, training to treat newborns in the "golden minute" and saving them from infections will be imparted to these ANMs and ASHAs. The agreement is for two years, Sawant informed.

In an official statement issued by the government, Sawant said that Johnson and Johnson would also help in generating awareness among mine workers and their families about TB and the preventive measures to be taken to check the disease.