OUR BLOG
PCAU proudly celebrated the Mulago School of Nursing and midwifery 13th Graduation Ceremony, honoring 633 health professionals, including 44 nurses who attained an Advanced Diploma in Palliative Care Nursing (27 sponsored by PCAU). Hon. Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo applauded PCAU for nurturing skilled health professionals and strengthening compassionate care nationwide.
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On October 11, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, we commemorated World Hospice & Palliative Care Day 2025 in Uganda at Hospice Africa Uganda under the theme: “Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care.” The event united partners, healthcare professionals, schools, and communities. Student performances from the Palliative Clubs at four schools. The clubs are part of PCAU’s Building Compassionate Communities to Improve Access to Palliative Care for ALL in Uganda.
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Kampala, 13th August, 2025 – The Ministry of Health in partnership with the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) and the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU), announces the 5th Uganda Conference on Cancer and Palliative Care under the theme: Embracing Uniqueness and Empowering Communities
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As we prepare for the 5th Uganda Conference on Palliative Care, PCAU is inviting palliative care teams to participate in a storytelling event. As palliative care providers, we derive our inspiration and fulfillment from our passion for compassion. Many times, we never get an opportunity to share what motivates us to serve. In our daily work, every patient, family, or community story offers us a unique source of hope and motivation. Sometimes, we struggle but see families embracing life until the end. The storytelling event during the forthcoming conference will allow us to share what brings us hope and fulfillment while providing palliative care.
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The Palliative Care Association of Uganda deeply mourns the passing of Dr. Anne Merriman, a visionary and compassionate founding member, and a true pioneer of palliative care in Africa. Dr. Merriman, born in Liverpool in 1935, passed away in Kampala, Uganda on May 18, 2025
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On February 11, 2025, PCAU joins the Catholic faith and all other compassionate people globally to offer prayers and observance to those who are suffering from illness and other health challenges. This year’s theme for the day of the sick is “Hope does not disappoint’’ (Rm 5:5) but strengthens us in times of trial. We pray that all who suffer sickness find comfort and hope from these words of faith.
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(SHiNE) Child Program
In Uganda, many face life-threatening illnesses without access to palliative care. This Giving Tuesday on 3rd December 2024, join the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) to bring comfort, support, and dignity to children facing sickness and vulnerability and their impoverished families.
Since 2016, PCAU Members Annual Get-together Dinner has been a tradition honoring our commitment to palliative care in Uganda. This year's Silver Jubilee Dinner marks a special milestone as we celebrate 25 years of dedicated service.
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Dear PCAU Members and Friends,
Thank you for your continued support of the work of palliative care in Uganda. As we head to the last quarter of 2024, I appreciate your compassion as palliative care providers across Uganda partners and donors.
Access to medical supplies is a major challenge for many economically disadvantaged patients in Uganda. Patients with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses are faced with co-morbidities resulting from the side effects of the medications and disease progression on their journey of care.
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The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) on 9th July 2024 donated specific essential medical sundries to its member organizations including Little Hospice Hoima, New Life Hospice Arua, Lweza Community Health Programme, SD Cancer and Palliative Care Clinic Jinja, Kitovu Mobile, and Kabale Christian Care.
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This year, PCAU celebrates 25 years since its founding in 1999. The organization has been at the forefront of all hospice and palliative care development in Uganda. The theme for PCAU’s Silver Jubilee is “Celebrating 25 years of extending compassion, holistic care, pain relief, hope, and justice to individuals and families in Uganda”
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Thank you for attending the 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on May 30, 2024. We were glad to host you all. We had 174 members and guests at the AGM. We had booked space for only 150 at the Fairway Hotel Kampala, but we are glad we had room for all. Among the Duruma ethnic group who live in Kenya our neighboring country, they have this proverb: ‘’A small house will hold a hundred friends.’’ We had a full room, yet we enjoyed each other's company.
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The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) launched a groundbreaking mobile Health (mHealth) Palliative Care Surveillance program in 2015, initially spanning four health facilities. Utilizing Android smartphones and the Open Data Kit (ODK) application, the initiative aimed to collect aggregated data on palliative care service provision, facilitating informed decision-making, advocacy, research, and policy formulation.
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Apart from our commitment to integrating palliative care into Uganda’s Health Care System, the Ministry of Health introduced specialized data collection tools integrated into the Health Management Information System (HMIS). These tools address the limitations of previous indicators, providing invaluable insights for policy formulation, decision-making, and research in palliative care.
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How help came to a very sick mother with her seemingly dying baby and her other 2 children:
In 2022, a community volunteer in southwestern Uganda was concerned about the plight of a dying baby with her mother who lived in a small makeshift. The two lived with two other young children in a very impoverished family of four people. The community volunteer approached the palliative care team at Kitagata Hospital for help. The Hospital is located about 3 miles from the village where the venerable family lives.
Dear PCAU Members and Friends, Thank you so much for your continued support and connection with PCAU. Please receive our 1st quarter 2024 newsletter. We are most excited about our plans for this year as we celebrate 25 years of PCAU. I encourage you all to renew your membership and commit to supporting PCAU. As we celebrate 25 years, we take stock of how our focused investment has yielded compassion, holistic care, pain-relief, comfort, hope, and justice for individuals, families, and Ugandan communities.
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From March 1st – 3rd this year, we joined Rotary Clubs in Uganda for their Rotary Northern Mega Fellowship which was held in Arua City. They had a captivating theme: "Creating Hope in Palliation." The three days were filled with a spirit of compassion. Over 200 people from over 10 Rotary Clubs gathered and spoke about the main need to relieve pain and suffering among many patients and families faced with life-limiting illnesses.
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On February 25th, 2024, we joined our partners the Uganda Cancer Society for their annual Cancer Sukuma Dance event in Kampala. We were official partners in the event this year. This is an annual fitness, cancer awareness, and fundraising event with a specific theme also to commemorate World Cancer Day. This year the theme was: Restore Smiles, A Breast for Her.
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In 2022, the Ministry of Health passed the Health Management Information System (HMIS) Palliative Care registers and HMIS 105c Monthly Palliative Care reporting forms. This effectively enabled palliative care reporting through the District Health Information System (DHIS2). The approval by the Ministry of Health followed several years of advocacy and support by PCAU on the integration of palliative care data in the HMIS. PCAU Continues to effort to ensure that the over 300 health facilities accredited to offer palliative care across the country receive the required tools and training to report on palliative care.
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When you visit PCAU or when PCAU visits you, there is that one most likely face. The PCAU Driver. He has been the main driver for PCAU since 2012. He has visited every district in the country and continues to be a valuable team member. A team of 3 staff recently had an interview with him. He shared his role and feelings about the new Land Cruiser acquired by PCAU last year.
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Since 1999, we have been hosting quarterly national palliative care meetings in Uganda. The meetings bring together PCAU members, Ministry of Health Officials, Members of Parliament, University Faculty staff, and interested members of the public every three months. The gatherings are important for advocacy, sharing experiences, continuous medical education, and networking.
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In the peri-urban community of Makindye lives Matia (not real name) a middle-aged gentleman with Diabetes Mellitus. Matia usually sits on the veranda of his house shaded from the busking sun in the city these days. Matia had a double amputation from the knees and partial blindness in his eyes due to complications from Diabetes.
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As we share with you an update from PCAU, we would like to encourage you to be thoughtful about the needs of your immediate community and how you could help. We request you consider stepping out to do something thoughtful for someone, for a family, or a group in your community. What is life without caring and sharing? Recently, a Village Health Team Member from Lweza Zone B village asked a family if a team of children and volunteers on our Road to Hope Program could visit.
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The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) invites bids from interested bidders for the Sale of 01 used Motor Vehicle with details below; Number plate: UAU 318A, Make: TOYOTA RAV4, Manual Transmission, Model: 1998 HP/CC, Chassis Number: SXA117010262, Year Of Manufacture: 1996, Location Of Vehicle: Kitende Entebbe Road - Kampala.
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The Month of March each year is celebrated as women’s month in many parts of the world featuring International Women’s Day on March 8th. This year, while declaring the Women’s History Month the President of USA said that during this March, “we celebrate the courageous women who have helped our Nation build a fairer, more just society.”
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The Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) invites applications for a limited number of scholarships for Palliative Care Diploma and Degree Training Programs for the academic year 2024. Application for the PCAU scholarships should have obtained admission from the Training Institutions.
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The annual PCAU members gathering has now become part of our culture. We are grateful to all who continue to join and support this important advocacy, awareness-raising, and fundraising event. On December 8th, 2023, PCAU hosted the 8th Annual Get-Together and Fundraising Dinner at the Imperial Royal Hotel Kampala. The dinner was the climax event to commemorate 30 years of palliative care services in Uganda.
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Words alone cannot express how saddened we were upon receiving the bad news that Dr. Samuel Guma had passed on. We are grateful to all members of the palliative care fraternity in Uganda who came together to stand with the family and the Team at Kawempe Home Care during this time of loss and grieving.
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