The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged the federal government to urgently implement the retirement age of 65 years for clinical health workers.
According to the association, this will serve as palliative measures for healthcare workforce shortages and migration.
NMA President, Afekhide-Ernest Omoti, made the demand at a news conference in Abuja on Friday, to wrap-up the association’s 2026 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.
Mr Omoti noted that NEC reiterated its concern over the delay in implementing the retirement age of 65 years for clinical health workers.
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He said that at a time when Nigeria was experiencing a significant shortage of skilled healthcare professionals due to migration and other factors, retaining experienced clinicians within the system was essential.
According to the president, implementing the retirement age of 65 years for clinical health workers will provide an important palliative measure, as Nigeria continues to address the broader challenge of healthcare workforce shortages and migration.
Mr Omoti said that the NEC also expressed concern over the poor state of road infrastructure across the country, stressing that the bad roads had serious implications for healthcare delivery.
“They delay patients seeking emergency care, impede referrals, affect the transportation of medicines and medical supplies and make it difficult for healthcare workers to reach underserved communities,” he said.
“The NMA, therefore, calls on government at all levels to urgently prioritise the rehabilitation, construction and maintenance of roads leading to healthcare facilities, particularly in the rural and underserved communities.”
He urged government to recognise road infrastructure as an essential component of healthcare delivery and a critical determinant of health outcomes.
Drug abuse
The NMA President also spoke about the increasing prevalence of drug and substance abuse among Nigerian youths and its consequences for mental health, families, communities and the nation’s productive workforce.
He said that NMA considered it a growing public health emergency requiring a coordinated national response, while calling on the federal government to declare drug and substance abuse a national public health priority.
The president said that government should strengthen prevention programmes, improve public enlightenment, regulate access to harmful substances, and expand mental health and addiction treatment services at primary, secondary and tertiary levels of healthcare.
NMA also called for greater collaboration among the Ministries, Departments and Agencies responsible for health, education, youth development, security and social welfare in tackling this challenge.
Tax relief
The NMA also expressed concern over the continued failure to implement appropriate tax relief measures for essential workers, particularly healthcare professionals.
He said that medical practitioners and other healthcare workers provide essential services under demanding, and often hazardous conditions, including working long hours, responding to emergencies and providing care in underserved communities.
Mr Omoti called on the government to consider and grant appropriate tax waivers, rebates or other tax relief measures to medical practitioners and other healthcare professionals, both for those in the public and private sectors.
“Doctors in private hospitals need special protections from multiple taxations and heavy electricity tariff burden whose cost may ultimately be transferred to the poor Nigerian patients,” he said.
The president said the association believed that such measures would contribute to improving the welfare and retention of health professionals in Nigeria.
Mr Omoti also said that NMA NEC expressed concern over the continued delayed in implementing the outstanding Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with health workers.
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He said that the prolonged delays in addressing the legitimate demands had contributed significantly to dissatisfaction within the workforce, and have further encouraged the migration of medical doctors and other health professionals out of Nigeria.
He also spoke about insecurity and the safety of health workers, while expressing concern over the escalating cases of killings, kidnapping, banditry and other forms of insecurity across the country.
“Of particular concern is the continued captivity of a medical practitioner from Niger State who has reportedly been held for approximately four months. This situation is unacceptable,” he said.
The NMA president appealed to the government and all relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to end banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and other forms of insecurity across Nigeria.
He urged the government to strengthen security around healthcare facilities and personnel in vulnerable communities and ensure that every effort is made to secure the safe release of abducted doctor and all other citizens being held in captivity.
The NMA scribe acknowledged the progress being made by government in several areas of the healthcare infrastructure and service delivery, adding that, there was need to match infrastructure development with investment in the healthcare workforce.
“A hospital building without doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientist and other skilled professionals cannot provide the quality-of-care Nigerians deserve,” he said.
(NAN)
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