The Medical and Dental Consultants Affiliation of Nigeria (MDCAN) has warned of an impending scarcity of healthcare consultants, with 1,700 consultants aged 55 and above set to retire throughout the subsequent 5 years.
The affiliation famous that solely 6,000 consultants stay within the nation.
MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammad Mohammad, made the announcement on Thursday through the affiliation’s Nationwide Govt Council (NEC) Assembly in Ilorin.
The assembly was themed, “Coverage Making for High quality Healthcare Providers: Participating Coverage Makers for High quality Healthcare Supply.”
Mohammad defined that solely 6,000 consultants stay in Nigeria as of February 2024.
He lamented that information indicated roughly 16,000 consultants had left the nation up to now 5 years.
Looming retirements and restricted replacements
The MDCAN president highlighted that the variety of medical consultants within the nation would proceed to dwindle as a result of retirement age of 60 years.
“About 1,700 consultants are above 55 years of age. Which means that within the subsequent 5 years, they will depart the providers for retirement,” he famous.
He additional emphasised that the discount within the variety of consultants would persist so long as the nation produces just one or two new consultants yearly.
“The alternative can not sustain with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and retirement,” Mohammad stated.
Proposals to handle the disaster
- Whereas commending the federal government’s efforts to handle the problem, Mohammad expressed hope that medical consultants could be allowed to serve as much as 70 years, with different healthcare employees serving till 65.
- This, he defined, would assist be sure that these consultants who stay within the nation proceed to contribute their experience to the healthcare sector.
- Mohammad additionally appealed to the federal government in any respect tiers to put medical lecturers on the Consolidated Medical Wage Construction (CONMESS) to handle disparities of their emoluments.
- He additional expressed a need for an atmosphere the place they’ll follow and ship the highest quality healthcare in Nigeria.
Coverage as a instrument for healthcare enchancment
The Kwara Commissioner for Well being, Dr. Amina El-Imam, stated the theme of the NEC assembly was apt, noting that applicable insurance policies have been essential to help the federal government in delivering high quality healthcare to residents.
El-Imam emphasised that insurance policies should be focused on the proper segments, tailor-made to the particular wants of the state or nation, and successfully communicated to the top customers.
“All of those contribute in the direction of making certain that the life and well being of the individuals are safeguarded,” she stated.
- In his presentation, the Visitor Speaker, Dr. Amos Magaji, a lawmaker representing Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency of Kaduna State within the tenth Nationwide Meeting, highlighted the importance of policymaking in healthcare supply.
- He famous that healthcare is prime to life, and insurance policies such because the Nationwide Well being Insurance coverage Authority will be sure that Nigerians are coated for healthcare providers.