In brief
Dr. Anne Merriman, known as the "Mother of Palliative Care" in Uganda, passed away at 90. She revolutionized pain management for the underserved with her innovative powdered morphine formula, providing affordable relief to thousands.
Dr. Anne Merriman, a remarkable medical doctor and former nun, who dedicated her life to palliative care, died on May 18, 2025, at the age of 90 in Kampala, Uganda. Known as the “Mother of Palliative Care” in Uganda, her journey began in the 1980s while working in Singapore, where she witnessed the immense suffering of terminally ill patients who could not afford pain relief. Realizing that the cost of intravenous morphine was prohibitively high, she innovated by creating a simple powdered morphine solution that only required three ingredients: morphine powder, water, and a preservative. This groundbreaking formula allowed her patients to have accessible pain relief that they could take home.In 1993, Dr. Merriman founded Hospice Africa Uganda and led efforts to provide a culturally flexible model of hospice care across the continent. Over her lifetime, she supported nearly 40,000 patients and trained approximately 10,000 health professionals in 37 African countries, a feat she regarded as a “game changer” in terminal care.Dr. Merriman's legacy will endure through the countless lives she touched and the affordable pain relief options she championed, showcasing her unyielding commitment to human dignity in healthcare.
