President Bola Tinubu has approved an increase in the retirement age for doctors and other healthcare professionals in Nigeria, raising it from 60 to 65 years.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Lagos by Dr. Mannir Bature, the National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
According to Bature, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, has been instructed to present the approval to the Council on Establishment through the Office of the Head of Service for final processing.
Prof. Pate conveyed this policy change during a high-level meeting with NMA President, Prof. Bala Audu, and other key stakeholders in the health sector.
The meeting also included leaders from the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and the Joint Health Sector Unions.
Discussions at the meeting focused on improving the welfare of doctors and healthcare workers.
Prof. Pate confirmed that payments for the arrears from the adjusted Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) would begin soon, as the necessary funds had already been secured.
President Tinubu also approved corrections to consequential salary adjustments under CONMESS and the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) following the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Bature said Prof. Pate assured that this process was already in its final stages and would provide much-needed relief to healthcare workers.
He further stated that a review initiated by the NMA led to the approval of new tariffs for healthcare service providers.
This development is expected to benefit members of the Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners and Nurses (ANPMPN), ensuring better financial stability for healthcare services nationwide.
The minister also expressed appreciation for the patience and cooperation of all stakeholders, reaffirming the government’s commitment to improving healthcare workers’ welfare. He emphasized that collaboration remains key to strengthening Nigeria’s health sector.
Meeting attendees reaffirmed their dedication to advocating for healthcare workers’ welfare and pushing for the full implementation of key reforms.
The Nigerian Medical Association has long pushed for an increase in the retirement age of health workers, citing the need to curb brain drain, enhance knowledge transfer, and improve healthcare delivery.
In recent years, various health unions have staged nationwide strikes over the delayed implementation of CONMESS and CONHESS for doctors and healthcare workers.
DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS recalls that a group of retired military personnel recently disrupted operations at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, protesting over unpaid entitlements.
