Lagos, Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu has approved an extension of the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare professionals from 60 to 65 years.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Mannir Bature, announced this in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.
Dr. Bature stated that the Coordinating Minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been instructed to formally present the approval to the Council on Establishment through the Office of the Head of Service for final processing.
He also revealed that Prof. Pate communicated the policy change during a high-level meeting with NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, and other key stakeholders in the healthcare sector.
The meeting included representatives from the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Joint Health Sector Unions.
Discussions focused on the ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of doctors and healthcare workers in Nigeria. Dr. Bature further noted that the Coordinating Minister confirmed plans to pay the arrears resulting from the adjustment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.
“The necessary funds have been secured, and disbursement to beneficiaries will commence soon,” he said.
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Bature cited the minister, who stated that President Tinubu has approved the correction of consequential adjustments for both CONMESS and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
“The process to effect this correction is at an advanced stage, providing much-needed relief to doctors and other healthcare workers,” he said.
He said following an extensive review initiated by the NMA, approval has been granted for the implementation of new tariffs for healthcare service providers.
“This will particularly benefit members of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners and Nurses (ANPMPN), ensuring better financial remuneration and sustainability for healthcare services nationwide,” he said.
Bature said the Coordinating Minister expressed appreciation for the patience and collaboration of all stakeholders, reaffirming the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the welfare of all healthcare workers.
Bature stated that Pate stressed the importance of collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s healthcare sector.
He added that the meeting’s participants reaffirmed their commitment to working together to advocate for the welfare of healthcare workers and ensure the full implementation of vital reforms.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NMA has been at the forefront of advocating for the extension of health workers’ retirement age from 60 to 65 years, aiming to address brain drain, enhance knowledge transfer, and improve the quality of healthcare delivery.
NAN also reports that several health associations and unions had gone on nationwide strikes due to the non-implementation of CONMESS and CONHESS for doctors and healthcare workers.
