By Abigail Philip David
President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare workers from 60 to 65 years.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Mannir Bature, in Lagos.
According to Bature, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been directed to present the approval to the Council on Establishment through the Office of the Head of Service for final processing.
Prof. Pate conveyed this development during a high-level meeting with NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, and other key stakeholders in the health sector, including representatives from the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Joint Health Sector Unions.
The meeting also focused on improving the welfare of doctors and healthcare professionals. Bature stated that Prof. Pate confirmed the pending arrears from the adjustment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) would soon be disbursed, as funds have already been secured.
Additionally, President Tinubu has approved the correction of consequential adjustments for both CONMESS and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) following the implementation of the new minimum wage. The process for this adjustment is in its final stages.
Further, approval has been granted for implementing new tariffs for healthcare service providers, benefiting members of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners and Nurses (ANPMPN) to ensure better financial sustainability in the sector.
Prof. Pate expressed gratitude for the patience and cooperation of healthcare workers and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving their welfare. He also emphasized the need for continued collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s healthcare system.
The NMA has long advocated for increasing the retirement age of healthcare workers to curb brain drain, enhance knowledge transfer, and improve healthcare delivery. The move follows multiple nationwide strikes by health unions over the non-implementation of salary structures for doctors and other medical professionals.
