Retired doctors have been urged to continue practicing for an additional two years in an effort to combat the brain drain affecting the health sector.
Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has announced that specialists will have the opportunity to extend their contracts beyond the retirement age of 63.
The brain drain, which refers to the emigration of skilled professionals, has had a significant impact on the health sector. By allowing specialists to continue serving according to their wishes, the government hopes to address this issue.
A proposal to extend the retirement age will be presented to the Cabinet for consideration. While the retirement age for the public service is 60 years, doctors were previously granted a retirement age of 63 due to the challenges faced by the health sector and the brain drain phenomenon.
The aim of extending specialists' contracts on a contractual basis is to mitigate the impact of brain drain and ensure that specialized medical professionals are available in the country's healthcare system.
