The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) said, on Thursday, that only 6,000 consultants were left in the country as of February last year.
President of the association, Prof. Muhammad Mohammad, said about 1,300 consultants left Nigeria in the last five years.
He spoke during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
According to Mohammad, the number would continue to dwindle as the retirement age for medical consultants is 60 years.
He said: “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.
“So, you can see that the replacement cannot keep up with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and from retirement.”
Mohammad commended the government for its efforts toward finding solutions to the challenges.
According to him, the association was hopeful that consultants would be able to serve up to 70 years, while other healthcare workers would continue to serve up to 65 years.
He noted that such a move would ensure that medical and dental consultants who remained in the country continued to give their expertise in the health field.
Mohammad also appealed to the government to ensure medical lecturers were placed on the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to address 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 Nation]
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