The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has commended the recent approval of a retirement age increase for doctors and healthcare workers by the federal government as a crucial step toward addressing brain drain in the country’s health sector.
President Bola Tinubu announced on Wednesday a policy to raise the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare workers from 60 to 65 years.
For years, healthcare professionals have advocated this adjustment to address workforce shortages, facilitate knowledge transfer, and ensure quality healthcare delivery.
The demand has also been a focal point in nationwide strikes, often linked to the non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) for doctors and health workers.
Speaking, the NMA President, Bala Audu acknowledged the significance of the policy but cautioned that it is not a complete solution to the country’s healthcare challenges.
Audu noted that while the policy alone would “not be enough” to address all challenges in the health sector, it would help significantly in stabilising the system.
He also welcomed the government’s decision to pay outstanding salary arrears, calling it a positive move to help sustain stability in the sector.
The National President of MDCAN, Mohammad Mohammad, stated that the association has long advocated for an increase in the retirement age for consultants and other healthcare workers due to the severe shortage of qualified personnel needed to provide quality healthcare in Nigeria.
Mohammad said while the approved increase to 65 years is a step forward, MDCAN had initially pushed for consultants to retire at 70, with other healthcare workers retiring at 65.
“Nigeria currently has only 6,200 consultants, and about a quarter to one-third of them are expected to retire within the next five years, as many are already 55 years or older,” he said.
“If no action is taken, this figure will decline significantly, even without factoring in other exits such as the widespread “Japa syndrome,” voluntary retirements, or deaths.”
He said the retirement age increase is expected to help sustain the healthcare workforce by allowing experienced professionals to remain in service longer.
He said this would enable them to continue providing care, mentoring younger healthcare workers, training new doctors, and contributing to postgraduate medical education before retiring at 65 or 70.
