Health Ministry reverses Cabinet decision:

Retirement age of medical specialists raised to 63

The Health Ministry has informed the Supreme Court that the retirement age of Consultant Specialist Doctors has been raised to 63 years.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, PC, appearing for the Attorney General yesterday (27) told the Court that he had received instructions from the Health Secretary that the age of retirement of the petitioners would be raised to 63 years, and a Cabinet decision, too, would be taken in this regard.

ASG Pulle gave the assurance on behalf of the Health Secretary in respect of a writ petition filed by 176 consultant specialist doctors challenging a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers dated 17.10.2022 to retire them at 60 years.

The Court of Appeal fixed the matter for support today (28) and it was recorded that the proposed settlement would allow all the categories of medical professionals set out in the document marked A4, to continue in service till 63 years.

The petitioners are Specialist Consultants in varied fields of medicine including Cardiology, Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, Oncology, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Haematology, Ophthalmology, Histopathology, Anaesthesia, Paediatrics and Auto-Rhinolaryngology.