ADDRESSING RURAL WO.MEN'S HEALTH NEEDS IN NIGERIA THROUGH NON-FORMAL EDUCATION AND COUNSELLING

Abstract

Rural women's health has long been a concern for governments, NGOS, scholars and researchers but today it has become an urgent priority. The paper argues that non-formal educators and counselors among scholars have potentials to address challenges revolving around provision of rural wom<;n 's health needs in Nigeria. The paper therefore examines women health needs such as sexuality/reproductive health needs, immunization against childhood killer diseases, malaria, nutritional health and VVF. The paper also discuses challenges such as health system inadequacies, illiteracy, ignorance and poverty facing rural women in accessing available health services. The paper concludes that these challenges can be addressed if health information, community education, vocational skill acquisition, nutritional education, literacy education, maternity care education, preventive health education and counselling embedded in non-formal education and counselling are explored