The Office of the Head of Service has received a note from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare regarding the increased retirement age for the country's medical and dental consultants. The goal of the plan is to raise the retirement age for consultants from 60 to 70 years old. President Bola Tinubu gave his approval in February to raise the retirement age for physicians and other healthcare professionals from 60 to 65.
The Medical and Dental Consultants' Association of Nigeria, however, has persisted in its 70-year advocacy for consultants, pointing to the lack of trainers at the undergraduate and graduate levels of medical school as well as the growing emigration of qualified health professionals.
“We are at the last bus stop of the negotiations. What I mean by that is that the memo has been filed by the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, to the Office of the Head of Service.
The union added that roughly 1,594 consultants, aged 55 and above, are anticipated to retire by 2029, while records reveal that 1,056 consultants departed Nigeria between 2019 and 2023 in search of better prospects overseas.
According to stakeholders, the proposed extension will assist in alleviating the nation’s healthcare worker deficit.
Speaking directly with our reporter on Monday, MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammad Muhammad, said the group remained confident that the retirement age extension will be accepted by the government.
“We are at the last bus stop of the negotiations. What I mean by that is that the memo has been filed by the Honourable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, to the Office of the Head of Service.
“So, we are waiting for the next National Council on Establishment to consider and possibly approve. We are still waiting for a date to be determined by the Office of the Head of Service for the Council on Establishment, likely in September,” Muhammad said.
The don expressed hope that the retirement age extension letter will be accepted and implemented without delay.
