October 06, (THEWILL) – The Federal Government has declined the request by health professionals to further raise their retirement age to 65 and that of Medical/Dental Consultants to 70 years.
However, the Federal Government said clinical Health Workers, who have attained the compulsory retirement age/years, may be given contract appointments on the same Salary Grade Level that they retired on if desired and deserved.
Daloba Paul Edward, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Health, announced this on Thursday, on behalf of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.
THEWILL recalls that the Government had in May 2021, increased the retirement age of normal health workers and doctors to 65 years.
The Minister explained that the rejection for a further review of retirement age was conveyed in a circular from the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Dated August 30th, 2023, and signed by Olufemi Michael Oloruntola, Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the circular seen by THEWILL, reads in part:
“l am directed to refer to the above-mentioned Memorandum presented at the 44th National Council on Establishments (NCE) held from 5th – 9th December, 2022 in Yola, Adamawa State, requesting for a review of the current retirement age of Medical/Dental Consultants and other health professionals from 60 to 70 and 65 years respectively.
“After careful consideration of the Memorandum, Council rejected the request based on the following:
i. Professionals in the health sector were leaving the country because of pecuniary consideration and unfavourable conditions of service and not as a result of retirement age;
ii. Some State Governments have already increased the retirement age of Medical Doctors and other Health Professionals and this has not addressed the spate of brain drain;
iii. Observed dissatisfaction with the health workers’ attitude to work, and in spite of efforts by the Government to encourage health workers, the mass exodus of health workers had not abated.
“Council, however, approved the following:
i. That clinical Health Workers, who have attained the compulsory retirement age/years, may be given contract appointment on the same Salary Grade Level that they retired on, if desired and deserved;
ii. Government should engage the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) to extract some level of commitment from Medical Doctors;
iii. To address the observed dissatisfaction with the attitude of Health Workers to work, there is a need to institutionalize an effective Performance Management System in the Public Service in order to improve the work ethics of Medical Officers and Consultants; and
iii. Medical Doctors should show more patriotism in the discharge of their duties and avoid holding the System to ransom.
“Please accept the warm regards of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.”
