The Federal Government of Nigeria has made a significant decision regarding the employment of doctors, nurses, and other clinical healthcare professionals. They are now allowed to serve as contract staff even after reaching their mandatory retirement age or years of service. This decision was made following discussions concerning the retirement age of medical and dental consultants and other healthcare professionals.
According to reports, the Federal Ministry of Health has issued a circular to Chief Executive Agencies, Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors, and Heads of Regulatory Bodies and Schools, instructing them to strictly adhere to a previous circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which applies to all staff in their respective institutions.
This decision comes in response to a request for a review of retirement ages for health professionals and medical/dental consultants, which was directed to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. However, the request to increase retirement ages was rejected for several reasons.
Firstly, it was emphasized that healthcare professionals were leaving the country not solely due to their retirement age but primarily because of financial considerations and unfavorable working conditions. Despite some state governments having raised the retirement age of medical doctors and healthcare workers, the issue of healthcare worker emigration remained unresolved.
The circular also expressed dissatisfaction with the work ethic of healthcare workers despite government efforts to motivate them. It acknowledged the continuous brain drain in the healthcare sector.
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Under the new arrangement, contract appointments will be offered to healthcare workers at the same salary scale level they retire on, provided they desire and qualify for it. The circular urged the government to engage with relevant bodies, such as the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the Nigerian Medical Association, to secure a commitment from medical doctors. It also called for the establishment of an effective performance management system within the public service to enhance the work ethics of medical officers, consultants, and doctors.
The circular emphasized the importance of medical professionals displaying greater patriotism in the discharge of their duties and refraining from actions that could disrupt the healthcare system.
In response to these developments, the Federal Ministry of Health has called upon all executives of agencies, Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors, and Heads of Regulatory Bodies and Schools to ensure strict compliance with the directives issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
