Korede Abdullah in Lagos
The Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has raised concerns about the dwindling number of medical consultants in the country.
According to the association’s president, Muhammad Mohammad at a forum on Thursday, only about 6,000 consultants are left in Nigeria as of February 2024.
This number is expected to decrease further due to the retirement age of 60 years for medical consultants. “About 1,700 consultants are above 55 years of age, this means that in the next five years they are going to leave the services for retirement,” Mohammad said.
The MDCAN president emphasized that the country’s inability to produce more consultants, with only one or two being produced per annum, exacerbates the problem. “You can see that the replacement cannot keep up with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and from retirement,” he added.
Mohammad commended the government’s efforts to address the challenges but hopes that consultants can serve up to 70 years, while other healthcare workers can continue to serve up to 65 years.
Mohammad also appealed to the government to ensure that medical lectures are placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), addressing disparities in their emoluments.
“We also want to have an environment where we will be able to practice and deliver the best quality healthcare in Nigeria,” he said.
The Commissioner for Health in Kwara State, Amina El-Imam, echoed the importance of policymaking in healthcare delivery, stating that “all of these contribute towards ensuring that the life and health of the people are safeguarded.”
