A Nurse’s Dedication to Protecting Nigeria’s Girls from Cervical Cancer
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Elizabeth Sambo Pam, a dedicated nurse, prepares to administer the HPV vaccine to students, protecting them from cervical cancer. Credit Richard Adupong (4)
The first time Elizabeth Sambo Pam walked into a school to offer the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, she wasn’t greeted with applause or gratitude. She was turned away. Only 26 of the 103 schools in Nigeria’s Plateau State, where Elizabeth works, had agreed to participate in the vaccination campaign. The rest shut their doors—fearful, misinformed, and uncertain. But Elizabeth didn’t give up. She went back again and again. Armed with science, compassion, and a fierce belief that every girl deserves protection from cervical cancer, she spoke to school heads, met with community leaders, and knocked on parents’ doors. “It wasn’t easy,” she says. “But we kept educating, kept explaining, and slowly the doors began to open.”
Elizabeth Sambo Pam and HAPPI project team on their way to a school to administer HPV vaccine. Credit Richard Adupong.
Today, every school in her area is on board. Elizabeth’s determination has helped thousands of girls receive the HPV vaccine, which protects them from the virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer. In Nigeria, the need is urgent—cervical cancer claimed 8,000 lives in 2020 alone, according to UNICEF. Yet myths and rumors still cloud parents’ judgment. “These are not true,” Elizabeth says firmly. “The vaccine is safe. It saves lives.”
Elizabeth recommends the vaccine not only as a nurse but also as a mother. Her six-year-old daughter watches her with pride and often asks, “Mommy, can I come with you?” Elizabeth smiles, hopeful that one day her child will be protected too. “I pray she reaches the eligible age soon. I want her to be safe.”
Elizabeth administers the HPV vaccine to a student. Credit Richard Adupong
For 11 years, Elizabeth served her community as a volunteer driven purely by dedication. After completing her nursing training in 2013, she began volunteering at Rayfield Primary Health Center in Jos South the following year. Since then, she has taken on vital roles as immunization focal person and ward focal supervisor, ensuring that children in her area receive life-saving vaccines. Her commitment was recently recognised with a full-time government appointment.
Elizabeth’s efforts are part of a wider movement to protect girls from HPV. The HPV Vaccine Acceleration Program Partners Initiative (HAPPI), funded by the Gates Foundation and implemented in Nigeria by JSI and CHAI in collaboration with Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency, has made it possible for more than 12 million girls to be vaccinated nationwide. But the work is far from over, and it depends on dedicated health workers like Elizabeth.
Even outside her official hours, Elizabeth is always on the lookout. “When I see girls with their parents in the community, I ask if they’ve been vaccinated. If not, I talk to them and send them to the nearest health center.”
Elizabeth (right) fills out an HPV vaccination card for a student after administering the vaccine. Credit Richard Adupong
Elizabeth isn’t just doing a job—she’s answering a calling. “I love being a nurse,” she says. “Nothing can stop me.” She urges parents to act now, before it’s too late. “One day, people may search for this vaccine and not find it. The time to act is now.”
Her greatest hope is that no girl is left behind. “I pray that all eligible girls receive the HPV vaccine and grow up healthy and strong.”
With each vaccination, Elizabeth proves that determination, compassion, and correct information can change lives and shape a healthier future for Nigeria’s girls.