WATCH THE VIDEO HERE The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has warned of an impending shortage of healthcare consultants, with 1,700 consultants aged 55 and above set to retire within the next five years. The association noted that only 6,000 consultants remain in the country. MDCAN President, Prof. Muhammad Mohammad, made the announcement on Thursday during the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting in Ilorin. The meeting was themed, “Policy Making for Quality Healthcare Services: Engaging Policy Makers for Quality Healthcare Delivery.” Mohammad explained that only 6,000 consultants remain in Nigeria as of February 2024. He lamented that data indicated approximately 16,000 consultants had left the country in the past five years. The MDCAN president highlighted that the number of medical consultants in the country would continue to dwindle due to the retirement age of 60 years. “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,” he noted. He further emphasized that the reduction in the number of consultants would persist as long as the country produces only one or two new consultants annually. “The replacement cannot keep up with the loss from ‘Japa’ syndrome and retirement,” Mohammad said. The Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr. Amina El-Imam, said the theme of the NEC meeting was apt, noting that appropriate policies were critical to assist the government in delivering quality healthcare to citizens. El-Imam emphasized that policies must be targeted at the right segments, tailored to the specific needs of the state or nation, and effectively communicated to the end users. “All of these contribute towards ensuring that the life and health of the people are safeguarded,” she said.
Dental Doctors association warns of consultant shortage as 1,700 near retirement
