Memorial room opens in Kampala to honour Dr Anne Merriman’s palliative care legacy

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Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) has opened a memorial room for its late founder, Dr Anne Merriman, during an Annual General Meeting (AGM) that also celebrated a major organisational milestone.

Dr Merriman, who died on May 18, 2025, founded HAU in 1993 to bring palliative care to all who needed it in Uganda and beyond.

At the November 14 AGM in Makindye, Kampala, HAU announced it has now provided care to more than 40,000 critically ill patients and their families since its founding, a milestone leaders said reflects Dr Merriman’s enduring vision and the growth of palliative care nationwide.

L-R: Jackie Katana, Board Member, Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), Her Excellency Mags Gaynor, Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Chris Merriman, Chairperson of Hospice Africa UK (HAUK), Juliet Ssenteza, Principal Private Secretary to the Nnabagereka and Prossy Nakyanja, Executive Director, HAU during the official opening of Dr. Anne Merriman memorial room at Hospice Africa Uganda headquarters in Makindye on Friday 14th November 2025. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

In the last financial year alone, more than 2,000 patients received care across HAU’s sites in Kampala, Mbarara and Hoima, with over 1,000 newly enrolled. The centres also continued to train students from Uganda and across Africa.

At the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa, 111 students pursued long-term programmes and 33 graduated, strengthening the continent’s palliative care workforce.

A key part of HAU’s work remains its partnership with the Government of Uganda and National Medical Stores to produce and distribute oral liquid morphine locally.

Leaders said the collaboration ensures a consistent national supply of affordable pain relief, which is central to both palliative care and Dr Merriman’s legacy.

New strategy for the next chapter

Board Chair Joy Mirembe announced that HAU will soon launch a new five-year strategic plan aimed at securing the organisation’s future.

L-R: Her Excellency Mags Gaynor, Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Chris Merriman, Chairperson of Hospice Africa UK (HAUK) and Prossy Nakyanja, Executive Director, Hospice Africa Uganda interacting after the official opening of Dr. Anne Merriman memorial room at Hospice Africa Uganda headquarters in Makindye on Friday 14th November 2025. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

She said the plan builds on more than three decades of pioneering work while responding to evolving health needs. “Our new strategy is designed to position HAU to continue leading palliative care in Uganda and across Africa,” Mirembe said.

She added that the plan reflects a commitment to remain present for patients facing life-limiting illness and to uphold the dignity and compassion that have defined the organisation.

She said the strategy envisions a stable, resilient organisation expanding its clinical, education, advocacy and research work in partnership with national and international stakeholders.

A tribute to Dr Merriman

After the AGM, guests attended the formal opening of the Dr Anne Merriman Memorial Room, led by Irish Ambassador to Uganda, Mags Gaynor.

Inside the memorial room. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

In her remarks, Ambassador Gaynor reflected on Dr Merriman’s generosity, sense of justice and place within a long tradition of Irish service in Uganda.

“She was part of a proud tradition of Irish people who have come to Uganda to walk alongside communities in friendship, in faith, and in partnership,” Gaynor said.

She described the room as a tribute both to Dr Merriman and to the long-standing friendship between Ireland and Uganda, expressed through cooperation in healthcare, education and development.

She added that the memorial room and its garden remind visitors that “one life guided by compassion can transform the lives of many.”

A space for learning and reflection

The memorial room traces Dr Merriman’s journey from her early years through decades of medical service in Singapore, Nigeria, Kenya and ultimately Uganda, where she worked until her final year.

Displays include documents showing how palliative care began in Uganda, such as letters authorising the local production of liquid morphine.

Certificates, training records and presidential recognition, including a posthumous diamond medal awarded by President Yoweri Museveni, are displayed in addition to her African print dresses, shoes, earrings and lipstick.

“These items help visitors understand that compassion includes caring for the whole person, including oneself,” said Executive Director Prossy Nakyanja.

Inside the memorial room. (Photo by Mpalanyi Ssentongo)

She described the room as both a national landmark and an educational space for Africa, giving students and health workers insight into how palliative care took root and spread across the continent.

Family pays tribute

Among the guests was Chris Merriman, Dr Merriman’s cousin and chair of Hospice Africa UK. Visiting Uganda for the first time since her passing, he described the experience as emotional and reflective.

“The room captures her many facets that include a teacher, doctor, visionary, family member and good Samaritan,” he said.

Hannah Merriman, Dr Merriman’s great cousin, said the room felt like a celebration of a purposeful life. She recalled Dr Merriman asking for her makeup even when unwell, smiling at the familiar lipstick now displayed.

Looking ahead

Nakyanja said the memorial room symbolises the passing of a baton from the founder to the team. Over the next decade, she hopes it will grow richer with expanded archives and educational materials.

“It will guide future generations who want to understand the roots and meaning of palliative care in Africa,” she said.