MEXICO CITY, Oct 12, 2004 (United Press International via COMTEX) -- U.S and Mexican health officials have agreed to educate migrants about disease prevention and free health care, El Universal reported Tuesday.

The agreement was signed Monday in the central state of Guanajuato, where Mexican President Vicente Fox, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Mexico's Health Secretary Julio Frenk began a series of health events that will take place in cities on both sides of the border.

The accord aims to lessen migrants' reliance on overtaxed hospital emergency rooms in the United States and educate them about free community clinics.

The Texas-based National Center for Farmworker Health and Mexico's Social Security Institute will distribute informational materials on disease prevention and clinic locations.

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