The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and South Sudan's Ministry of Health on Tuesday signed a five-million-U.S. dollar cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening the country's ailing health sector.

Mary Otieno, UNFPA representative in South Sudan said the three-year work plan seeks to strength health sector through training of health workers and also facilitate procurement and distribution of reproductive health commodities.

Under the work plan, UNFPA will provide training for midwives, nurses and also strengthen mechanisms to fight gender-based violence between 2019 and 2021.

"This work plan will contribute to building a more resilient health system to promote sexual and reproduction health rights," Otieno said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), South Sudan has some of the worst health indicators globally.

The country's maternal mortality ratio stands at 789 per 100,000 live births, and neonatal mortality stands at 39 percent, according to data released by the WHO in 2018.