President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare workers in Nigeria from 60 to 65 years
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday, February 5, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mannir Bature.
According to the statement, the approval was conveyed by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, during a high-level meeting with NMA President Bala Audu and other key stakeholders in the health sector.
Bature noted that the minister will formally present the approval to the Council on Establishment through the Office of the Head of Service for finalization.
The meeting, which included representatives from the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), also addressed issues concerning the welfare of healthcare professionals in the country.
During the discussions, Pate assured stakeholders that arrears resulting from the adjustment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) had been secured and that disbursement to beneficiaries would begin soon.
“The necessary funds have been secured, and disbursement to beneficiaries will commence soon,” Bature quoted the minister as saying.
He added that efforts to effect necessary corrections in salary structures and other welfare improvements are at an advanced stage, promising relief for medical professionals across the country.