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Dr. Anne Merriman, the founder of Hospice Africa Uganda and a pioneer in accessible palliative care across the developing world, has passed away.
Dr. Merriman died on May 18 at her home in Kampala at the age of 90.
Her cousin, Chris Merriman, confirmed the cause of death as respiratory failure.
A Game-Changing Innovation
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Dr. Merriman's commitment to palliative care began in the 1980s while working as a doctor in Singapore.
Witnessing the profound agony of poor, terminally ill patients discharged from hospitals, she realised that pain relief was a privilege, not a right.
The prohibitive cost of intravenous morphine spurred her to innovate. She collaborated with a pharmacist to develop an affordable powdered morphine formula, easily mixed and adjusted for patients to take home.
This simple yet revolutionary solution, she later described, was "a game changer," laying the groundwork for her future work.
Dr. Anne Merriman
Founding Hospice Africa Uganda
Inspired by her experiences and a desire to expand palliative care in Africa, Dr. Merriman, a former nun, founded Hospice Africa in 1992, followed by Hospice Africa Uganda in 1993.
Arriving in Uganda during the peak of the AIDS crisis, with a high HIV prevalence and rising cancer rates, she faced immense challenges.
Initially operating from a small house, mixing morphine in buckets, and battling funding shortages and doctors' reluctance to prescribe opioids, her persistence was unwavering.
Driving a donated Land Rover, she navigated difficult roads to reach patients, while her steely resolve helped her eventually convince the health ministry to allow nurses to prescribe morphine in 2004.
Enduring Legacy
Through sheer determination, Dr. Merriman transformed palliative care in Uganda and beyond. Her efforts led to a significant shift in attitudes, with medical students she trained becoming advocates for her work.
Within five years, Hospice Africa Uganda had expanded to three sites, and by 2000, training sessions had reached Tanzania. Today, Hospice Africa's Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa offers degrees in palliative care, a testament to her enduring vision.
Known as Uganda’s "mother of palliative care," Dr. Merriman remained true to her working-class roots, always prioritising the needs of the poor and criticising healthcare inequalities.
She leaves no immediate survivors, but her profound impact on global palliative care will continue to resonate.