The First Vice-President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Benjamin Olowojebutu, says increasing the retirement age of health workers from 60 to 65 will address “japa syndrome.”
Olowojebutu said this when he led some members of NMA to pay a courtesy visit to Rep. Wale Ahmed (APC-Lagos) in his office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Friday to express appreciation for sponsoring the bill.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that “japa syndrome” is a situation where professionals, particularly in the health sector, leave the country in doves in search of greener pastures.
Olowojebutu called for speedy passage of the bill to increase the retirement age of health workers in the country from 60 to 65 and the maximum pensionable years of service from 35 to 40.
NAN reports that the bill is entitled: ‘A Bill for an Act to Make Provisions for the Retirement Age Increment for Health Workers in Nigeria and for Related Matters’.
“We are here to say a big ‘thank you’ to our colleague and member of the House of Reps, Wale Ahmed, for championing this important bill in the quest for quality healthcare delivery in this country.
“One of the things we have realised is that lots of our doctors have experience, and when they exit after retirement, those that replace them are younger colleagues that still need experience.
“So one of the things to do is to increase their age so that there are more experiences for those younger doctors to learn from when they retire.
“So we’re glad that we’ve come to see him today, and he has shown a lot more commitment to expedite the bill to become law in this country. And I can assure you, it will boost the morale of doctors in this country,” he said.
Olowojebutu appealed to the House leadership to look at the bill as a comprehensive one that would aid healthcare delivery in the country.
According to him, it will also support the livelihood of medical doctors who have served Nigeria for a long time and the passion they have put into this country.
“A lot of our friends have left the country, but some of us are still very dogged and passionate about staying in the country because we are patriotic.
“We have a lot of passion for the health care of this nation. So we appeal to the leadership of the house to help us expedite this bill,” he said
Dr Mohammed Mohammed, President of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, said that the bill would improve health care delivery in the country.
Mohammed urged the leadership of the National Assembly, especially the House of Reps, to give the bill the urgency it deserved, just like they did for the national budget, as it would touch the lives of the masses from the cradle.