Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has approved letting doctors and other healthcare workers work until age 65, instead of retiring at 60.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mannir Bature, who speaks for the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), announced this in Lagos on Wednesday.
He said Muhammad Pate, who leads Nigeria’s Health and Social Welfare Ministry, will present this approval to the Council on Establishment through the Head of Service’s office to make it official.
Pate shared this news during a meeting with Bala Audu, the NMA President, and other key health sector leaders.
The meeting included heads of several medical groups: consultants, nurses, midwives, and other health workers’ unions.
They discussed improvements in pay and working conditions for Nigeria’s healthcare workers.
The minister confirmed that healthcare workers will soon receive back pay they’re owed from recent salary structure changes.
“The necessary funds have been secured, and disbursement to beneficiaries will commence soon,” Bature said.
Read also: Tinubu approves 65 years retirement age for doctors, health workers
He added that President Tinubu has approved fixing pay adjustments for two different healthcare salary scales (CONMESS and CONHESS), which came about because of Nigeria’s new minimum wage.
“The process to effect this correction is at an advanced stage, providing much-needed relief to doctors and other healthcare workers,” he explained.
After the NMA’s review, the government has also approved new rates that healthcare providers can charge. This will especially help private medical practitioners and nurses earn more money and run their practices more sustainably across Nigeria.
The minister thanked everyone for their patience and stressed that working together was key to improving Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Everyone at the meeting agreed to keep working together to support healthcare workers and make sure these changes happen.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) notes that the NMA has been pushing to raise the retirement age from 60 to 65 years. They believe this will help stop medical professionals from leaving the country, allow experienced staff to train younger ones, and improve healthcare quality.
Various health worker groups had previously gone on strike because these salary structures weren’t being properly implemented.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
