New retirement ages for doctors, health workers’ll address brain drain- MDCAN

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has commended President  Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving 70 and 65 years as retirement age for medical consultants  and other healthcare workers respectively.

MDCAN President, Prof. Mohammad Aminu gave the commendation while speaking to newsmen in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

He said that the new policy will assist in addressing brain drain in the heath sector. He said the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, who played the critical role in getting the approval from the President, was advised to implement the new policy immediately.

He explained that Pate had conveyed the policy shift during a high-level meeting with executives of MDCAN, NMA, and other key critical stakeholders in the health sector.

Aminu also stated that their discussions centred on progress made regarding the welfare of doctors and other healthcare professionals, stressing that the Coordinating Minister confirmed that the arrears resulting from the adjustment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure were set for payment.

Aminu said the extension of service years to 70 years was to allow consultants to attain 35 years in service like other civil servants.

He pointed out that the average minimal age of graduation from Medical Schools these days is about 24-25 years, stressing that one year housemanship and one year NYSC lands the young doctor at 27 years.

According to him, undertaking Residency Training programme from Primary Fellowship Exams to Exit at Part two, takes minimum of six to seven years but can extend to 10 or more years.

“At the end of Residency, the young Doctor lands at minimum age of 34/35 years and sometimes extends to 40 years at the time of being appointed a consultant, if he is lucky within one year of completing the programme.”

The MDCAN boss further pointed out that at 60 years of age, a hospital consultant has only put in 20-25 years in service and retires, losing 10 to 15 of active service years.

“Saudi Arabia and some foreign countries still offer Medical Consultants  salaries of $5, 000 to $7, 000.00 per month like we did in Nigeria in 2014, hence the

Mass migration (Japa Syndrome) to beat early retirement and at least meet up with family needs and expectations.”