The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has recommended the 65-year as retirement age for workers in the health sector for them to have adequate experience in their profession.
The NMA held that implementing the measure is imperative to ensure the medical workers retain their experiences amid the lingering shortage of skilled healthcare personnel.
President of the body, Afekinde Omoti, said that the failure to implement the retirement age is a factor which has led to the country losing experienced doctors and other of the sector’s experienced ones who have migrated to other countries.
Omoti made the disclosure during a held NEC meeting disclosing that the retirement age would create an avenue to address the challenges of healthcare workforce shortages and migration of the officers.
The body’s President, at a press briefing held in Abuja on Friday, stated that the retirement age issue also causes a wider view of healthcare infrastructure challenges, welfare of the workers, insecurity, drug and substance abuse as well as poor road infrastructure.
The NMA further disclosed that the issues are affecting hospitals and other facilities from delivering quality services as there is a short-staffing of doctors, nurses, phamarcists, laboratory scientists, and other skilled personnel.
It added that the challenges also hits brain drain, difficult working conditions, inadequate remuneration, limited career opportunities and other systemic challenges which has encourages health practitioners to leave the country.
The association also called on the Federal Government to implement the outstanding collective bargaining agreement with the health workers, urging for it to be included in the 2027 budget.
The body also sought for protection of the workers, reminiscing one of them who has been in captivity for months following his kidnap in Niger State, also stating that the government should look into appropriate tax relief for the workers.