A Pioneer, Visionary and the Grandmother of Palliative Care in Africa
The Center for Hospice Care (CHC) joins our partners at the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU), colleagues across the continent and the global palliative care community in mourning the loss of Dr. Anne Merriman, who passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at her home in Uganda – just days after celebrating her 90th birthday.
Dr. Anne Merriman was more than a physician. She was a global health visionary whose compassion, conviction and courage transformed care for people with life-limiting illnesses across Africa and beyond. Widely regarded as the “Grandmother of Palliative Care in Africa,” she championed compassionate, person-centered care, especially in resource-limited settings. Her legacy is woven into the very fabric of palliative care in Uganda and far beyond.
Born in Liverpool, England, in 1935, Dr. Merriman’s medical career took her to Asia, West Africa and Kenya before she eventually settled in Uganda, where her most lasting contributions would unfold. In 1993, she founded Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), pioneering a model of care rooted in dignity, effective pain relief and holistic support for patients and families. Her innovative work led to one of the most progressive palliative care systems in sub-Saharan Africa – designed to make affordable, accessible palliative care a reality for all, especially in underserved communities.
In 1999, Dr. Merriman co-founded the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) to scale this vision nationally and regionally. Through her advocacy and leadership, she helped position Uganda as a continental leader in palliative care. A mark of her achievements was championing the local production of oral morphine, making effective pain relief widely available even in the most resource-constrained environments – a truly transformative step in alleviating suffering. She mentored generations of palliative care professionals and tirelessly worked to integrate palliative care into national health systems. Her influence extended to health policy, medical education and practice across Africa. Her 2014 Nobel Peace Prize nomination was not only a recognition of her service to medicine and humanity but also a powerful platform to raise global awareness about the importance of hospice and palliative care.
The CHC – PCAU partnership stands as one of the enduring fruits of Dr. Merriman’s life’s work. Her influence was deeply personal to our institutions – indeed, in many ways, it is a continuation of her vision for global solidarity in addressing health inequities. Through collaborative programs such as the Road to Hope, capacity building through training palliative care professionals and advancing research, Dr. Anne’s spirit continues to live our shared mission. As a mentor to PCAU’s founding director, Rose Kiwanuka, and a catalyst for the CHC – PCAU partnership, Dr. Anne helped nurture an intercontinental alliance grounded in shared values of dignity, compassion and equity in health care.
Remembering Dr. Merriman
Rose Kiwanuka, PCAU’s founding director:
“Dr. Anne introduced me to the world of palliative care and mentored me into leadership. Her support extended even to my family. Her passing is personal to many of us – she transformed our lives. Her legacy lives on in each of us who took up the torch from her hand.”
Mike Wargo, Vice President of CHC:
“I first met Dr. Anne Merriman in Uganda in 2010 while filming our documentary, ‘Okuyamba’ – the Luganda word meaning ‘to help’ – and that encounter changed me. Through every conversation and shared vision over the years, she deepened my understanding of what it truly means to deliver compassionate care to those facing serious illness. Anne wasn’t just a pioneer in palliative care – she was a force of nature. Her clarity of purpose and depth of heart eased the suffering of many and transformed the lives of all who encountered her.
“Since founding Hospice Africa Uganda in 1993, she became a guiding light for palliative care across the African continent. Her impact is immeasurable – not only in the systems she helped build but in the dignity she preserved for thousands of patients and families. I saw firsthand the reach of her influence and the quiet strength of her legacy, carried forward by those she mentored and inspired.”
Dr. Merriman’s final days were marked by serenity and grace. Surrounded by loved ones, including family who traveled from Ireland for her 90th birthday, she expressed readiness to “go to heaven.” She passed away peacefully in her bed on the evening of May 18, after a life fully lived in service to others.
Dr. Anne Merriman leaves behind a powerful legacy: a global community of caregivers, advocates and leaders inspired by her vision; institutions like HAU and PCAU carrying her mission forward; and countless lives transformed through her work. Her influence echoes in every health worker trained, every patient comforted and every voice raised to declare that palliative care is a human right.
We at the Center for Hospice Care, along with our friends and partners at PCAU, extend our deepest condolences to Dr. Anne’s family, colleagues at Hospice Africa Uganda, the people of Uganda and all who had the honor of knowing her.
May her soul rest in eternal peace.
Her legacy will forever guide our mission – and our hearts.