The Federal Government has approved the appointment of doctors, nurses, and other clinical healthcare workers as contract staff after attaining their compulsory retirement age or years.

The government, however, said the appointed contract staff would be on the same salary scale level that they retired on if they desire and deserve it.

A circular obtained by our correspondent, dated October 5, 2023, by the Federal Ministry of Health, directed the Chief Executive Agencies, Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors, and Heads of Regulatory Bodies and Schools to ensure compliance with the circular earlier issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to all staff in their institutions.

The office of the OHCSF had in a circular dated August 30, 2023, rejected the upward review of the current retirement age of Medical/Dental Consultants and other health professionals from 60 to 70 and 75 respectively.

The circular titled ‘Re: Review of retirement age to 65 and 70 years for health professionals and medical/dental consultants,’ with reference number HCSF/SPSO/ODD/CND/100/S./145, was addressed to the Permanent Secretary of the FMoH.

The circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office, Olufemi Oloruntoba, for the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation read partly, “I am directed to refer to the above-mentioned memorandum presented at the 44th National Council on Establishment held from 5th-9th December 2022, in Yola, Adamawa State requesting a review of the current retirement age of Medical/Dental Consultants and other health professionals from 60 to 70 and 75 respectively.

“After careful consideration of the memorandum, the council rejected the request based on the following: 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.

“Some state government had already increased the retirement age of medical doctors and other health workers and this has not addressed the spate of brain drain.”

It also said it was dissatisfied with health workers’ attitude to work, noting that in spite of efforts by the government to encourage health workers, the exodus of health workers had not abated.

“Council, however, approved that clinical health workers who have attained the compulsory retirement age/years may be given contract appointment on the same salary scale level that they retired on if desired and deserved.

“Government should engage the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and the Nigerian Medical Association to extract some level of commitment from medical doctors.

“To address the observed dissatisfaction with the attitude of health workers to work, there is a need to institutionalise an effective performance management system in the public service in order to improve the work ethics of the medical officers and consultant, and medical doctors should show more patriotism in the discharge of their duties and avoid holding the system to ransom,” it added.

Consequently, the FMoH in its circular urged all executives of agencies, Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors, and Heads of Regulatory Bodies and Schools to ensure strict compliance with the directive from the OHCSF.

The circular signed by the Deputy of Appointment, Promotion and Discipline, Daloba Paul Edward for the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, was referenced C.4007/T.2/37.

Jcomtrader:
The shortage is now alarming. FG was playing with it. But now they will soon be left with baby doctors in the next 5 to 10 years at this rate

Angelfrost:
This solves nothing...!

Forcing or enticing old men and women out of retirement instead of ensuring that you better the lives of those leaving shows how brain-dead these leaders are.


Well, those of you who have the means to leave should never hesitate... Don't fall for the propaganda or blatant lie that the nation is improving or is moving forward.

Jcomtrader:
The shortage is now alarming. FG was playing with it. But now they will soon be left with baby doctors in the next 5 to 10 years at this rate

onyxo76:
that is if they even see baby doctors sef, the medical students are already preparing for those foreign exams in their final year, once they do internship and have passed, they are off, some don't even do nysc again before moving.

article1:
The government of Nigeria will never stop amaizing me. So a doctor has has retired fr service is being recall after mandatory years of service to come and serve the nation again. What about those whom age is already telling on them will they still be efficient in the job? Instead of introducing policies that will encourage young medical practitioners and discourage the Japa syndrone, they're bringing about primitive policies...

RajahBaltazar:

Nothing is ever good for people like you. If the government addresses the situation, you complain, if they ignore it, you complain again. This is obviously a stopgap solution and nobody is forcing anybody.

RajahBaltazar:

Nothing is ever good for people like you. If the government addresses the situation, you complain, if they ignore it, you complain again. This is obviously a stopgap solution and nobody is forcing anybody.

Angelfrost:


My point too... I have witnessed this firsthand.

This also includes Nurses and Pharmacists.

A top radiographer I know (well experienced and trained abroad), also relocated with his entire family last year... He is doing very well now.

I thought the Naira Crisis would even deter them, but many are on queue to get into Australia, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam.... Yep, even Vietnam o!

onyxo76:
and most of them are in their late forties or early fifties o, they just want to leave by all means.

Angelfrost:


Bro... I have met doctors who have given over 15 solid years of practice leaving.

I have witnessed exceptionally gifted and sound consultants in key areas of medicine leaving to start afresh abroad.

For some of them it's not even about pay or money... They are just fed up of living like peasants in their own nation, while less intelligent and useless men with money lead the nation into the ground.

osazsky:
is this our to address a situation..wat is d motivation to work for someone who is 70. ...at 70 the brain starts to retard...why not increase the salary's of doctors..if doctors are been paid 2m naira every month..will they traval..to some of una 180k na big money

Racoon:
Guess Chris Ngige can now fully appreciate the utter idiocy of the statement he made many years ago that "Nigeria has enough doctors, whosoever want to immigrate should immigrate."?

Now government is remobilizing overspent workforce that have passed their productive age to come salvage an irredeemable situation. What a pity.