A monumental figure in global health Dr. Anne Merriman (MHSRIP), the visionary humanitarian and undisputed “Mother of Palliative Care in Africa,” died on May 18th, 2025, at the age of 90. Her legacy is defined by the establishment of Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) in 1993. This organization was founded on her radical principle: bringing affordable, holistic, and compassionate palliative care to people across Uganda and, eventually, much of Africa.

Dr. Anne Merriman’s contribution to the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) is foundational and multifaceted, extending from its establishment to providing an enduring model for its mission.

• Founding Role: Dr. Merriman was a founding member and the Founding Vice-Chair of the Board of PCAU, which was formally established around 1999 (PCAU was registered as an NGO in 2003). Her leadership was essential in creating the national association that unites palliative care providers in Uganda.
• The Model: PCAU’s work is built upon the practical, community-based model that Dr. Merriman pioneered through Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), which she founded in 1993. HAU’s success demonstrated that affordable, holistic, and culturally appropriate palliative care, including the crucial use of oral liquid morphine, was viable in a low-resource setting. PCAU’s goal to strengthen healthcare systems and increase access to palliative care directly supports the continuation and expansion of this model.
• Advocacy and Policy: Her relentless advocacy for policy changes, such as getting the Ugandan government to allow the importation of morphine and, critically, enabling nurses and clinical officers to prescribe it, created the essential legal and clinical framework that PCAU continues to promote and defend. This landmark achievement is central to expanding palliative care access in a country with a shortage of doctors.
• Training and Education: PCAU’s mission to support and develop palliative care professionals in Uganda is directly supported by the training infrastructure Dr. Merriman established, primarily through the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa (IHPCA), which is headquartered at HAU.

The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) remains forever grateful for Dr. Anne Merriman’s tireless advocacy and foundational support. As a Founding Member and Vice-Chair of the Board, she did not merely establish the framework for palliative care in Uganda; she continuously supported the national body she helped create. Her commitment was personal: she literally stood by the organization, never missing PCAU’s key events, including their Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and Annual Dinners. In recognition of her pivotal role, PCAU honoured Dr. Anne Merriman with the Annual Merit Award in 2017 for her monumental contribution to the founding of the association and the overall development of palliative care in Uganda. Dr. Anne was also awarded posthumously a Medal of Honour from the President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, June 9, 2025 in recognition of her lifelong work on palliative care in Uganda and Africa.