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Background: The core Universal Health Coverage (UHC) objectives are to ensure universal access to healthcare services by reducing all forms of inequalities. However, financial constraints are major barriers to accessing healthcare, especially in countries like Nigeria and South Africa. The findings of this study may possibly aid in informing and communicating health policy to increase financial access to healthcare and its utilization in South Africa and Nigeria. The objectives were to estimate the prevalence of health insurance coverage, and to explore the socio-demographic factors associated with health insurance in South Africa and Nigeria. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study using the 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey and 2016 South Africa Demographic Health Survey. The 2018 Nigeria Demographic Health Survey data on 55,132 and the 2016 South Africa Demographic Health Survey on 12,142 individuals were used to investigate the prevalence of health insurance associated with socio-demographic factors. Percentages, frequencies, Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression were employed, with a significance of pResults: About 2.8% of the Nigerian and 13.3% of the South African population were insured (Nigeria: males-3.4%; females-2.7% vs. South Africa: males-13.9%; females-12.8%). The multivariate logistics regression analyses showed that higher education was significantly positively more likely to be associated with health insurance, independent of other socio-demographic factors in Nigeria (Model I: OR: 1.43; 95% CI: 0.34-1.54, pConclusion: Health insurance coverage was low in both countries and independently associated with socio-demographic factors such as education, wealth, and employment. There is a need for continuous sensitization, educational health interventions and enabling employment opportunities for citizens of both countries to participate in uptake of wide health insurance coverage., {"references":["1.\tAsakitikpi AE. Healthcare coverage and affordability in Nigeria: An alternative model to equitable healthcare delivery. Universal Health Coverage, Edited by Aida Isabel, IntechOpen, 2019; DOI: 10.5772Intechopen.85978.","2.\tOyekola IA, Ojediran JO, Ajani OA, Oyeyipo EJ, Rasak B. Advancing alternative health care financing through effective community partnership: A necessity for universal health coverage in Nigeria. Cogent Social Sciences 2020; 6: 1, 1776946.","3.\tMichel J, Tediosi F, Egger M, Barnighausen T, McIntyre Di, Tanner M, Evans D. Universal health coverage financing South Africa: wishes vs reality. Journal of Global Health Reports, 2020; 4: e2020061.","4.\tValiani S. Structuring sustainable universal health care in South Africa. International Journal of Health Services, 2020; 50 (2): 234-245.","5.\tOnline website: World Health Organization (WHO). Universal health coverage (UHC). World Health Organization Publication, 2021. Available at: www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ universal-health-coverage-(uhc). Accessed May 3 2021."]}

Christian and Islamic scriptures reduced women to a second class in any society. They are subjected to helper and relegated to house chores. In some societies, roles of ritual-making and administration are accorded them, but they would be regulated with the power of men. The Eurocentric system of administration introduced to Africa appears to have been reducing Afrocentrism, as Western education has found new roles for women. With more female enrolment in schools, from primary to higher institutions, it is expected that the old system would pave way for equal opportunity to address sustainable development holistically in Africa. Poverty, unemployment, ignorance, religion and culture are the major obstacles to women empowerment. These social issues have an effect upon health development; they aggravate mortality rate despite government focus on primary health care (PHC) as agreed through the Alma Ata Declaration in Kazakhstan. In addressing these plights, free education and ability to accommodate neglected rural dwellers to quality education would serve as stimuli for service delivery that is eluding the state.Keywords: Afrocentric-Feminism, Constructivism, Rural Women, Nigeria, PHC Sustainable Development

In Nigeria, contraceptive use is still low though its knowledge is widespread. This study investigates the knowledge and practice of on Exclusive Breast Feeding (EBF) as a Lactating Amenorrhea Method (LAM) contraceptive among women currently bearing children. Using two purposively selected post-natal clinics in Ibadan and adopting a qualitative design, data were collected from 2 Focus Group Discussions, 4 Key Informants and 3 In-depth Interviews. Data were content analyzed. Higher knowledge of EBF was found among lactating mothers but its use as contraceptive was generally low. This low rating of EBF as a contraceptive in spite of its documented advantages amongst participants constituted a barrier to family planning goals. Respondents offered various reasons for non utilization of LAM as a contraceptive method, many of which were due to ignorance and lack of adequate motivation. There is therefore a need for intervention programmes not only to improve awareness of LAM but to increase its use in order to fill the unmet needs gap in family planning.Keywords: Contraceptive use, Lactating mothers, Intervention programmes, Unmet needs