The average life expectancy in low-income countries is increasing due to increased access to health aid programs, according to the Borjen Project. (Photo: Courtesy).

South Sudan has the lowest average life expectancy of 55 years among the East African countries, as Rwanda leads with 69.6 years of life expectancy, according to World Bank figures.

The World Bank statistics of 1960-2020 indicate that the average life span of South Sudanese is the shortest in the region.

But the latest figures from Macro-trends dating 1960-2023 show that South Sudan’s life expectancy has risen by 8 years from around 55 years to 58.7 years in 2023.

Meanwhile, a report released on Monday by the Rwanda National Institute shows that Rwandans are living at least nine years longer than the majority of East Africans.

Rwanda’s average life expectancy has now risen by 18 years from 51.2 years in 2002, according to data from the fifth Population and Housing Census 2022.

Rwanda is ahead of its peers in East Africa and sub-Saharan Africa in terms of life expectancy, The EastAfrican reports, citing World Bank figures.

Tanzanians comes second after Rwanda at 66 years, Kenya and Uganda are at 63 years, Burundi at 61 years, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at 60 years.

The data also projected 2.3 percent growth rate in Rwanda’s population, which has now equals South Sudan at 13.2 million people.