The day I met Dr Anne Merriman

Having an afternoon tea with Dr. Anne.

Living in Uganda was an incredible experience—never a dull moment, and each day offered something new, often through the people I met.

Dr Anne trying out Uganda honey

One sunny afternoon, Dr Anne Merriman rushed into my shop and exclaimed, “I’ve heard this shop is run by Singaporeans! Who is from Singapore?” That moment sparked a friendship I cherish. Anne had taught at the National University of Singapore in the Department of Community, Occupational and Family Medicine where she helped introduce palliative care in 1985. A volunteer Hospice Care Group formed under the Singapore Cancer Society in 1987 became the Hospice Care Association (HCA) in 1989, and she was a founding member.

Farmers market at Hospice Uganda

She had previously worked at Universiti Sains Malaysia in Penang, and in 1990 she returned to Africa. By 1993, she had founded Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU), pioneering a model of home-based, compassionate care throughout the continent.

Over countless conversations in her home, she told me about her time in Singapore—including her effort to introduce oral morphine for hospital and home use. This was her personal account, heartfelt and vivid, even though it isn’t part of the public record.

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Her work humbled me. She was even nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, a testament to her global impact. Her legacy lives on, not only in institutions, but in the hearts of those who care deeply. Inspired by her, I began supporting Hospice Uganda—setting aside proceeds from my Kampala farmers' markets.

In Memoriam

Dr Anne Merriman, a pioneering physician and the driving force behind affordable palliative care in Africa, passed away on 18 May 2025 at the age of 90 in Kampala, Uganda.

Born in Liverpool in 1935, she inspired her life's work from an early age, eventually serving as a missionary doctor, academic, and hospice founder across continents. in Singapore during the 1980s, she developed an affordable oral morphine formula and co-founded the Hospice Care Association. Later, she established Hospice Africa Uganda in 1993, which treated tens of thousands of patients and trained thousands of healthcare professionals across 35+ African countries.

Anne earned an MBE in 2003 and Uganda’s National Independence Diamond Jubilee medal posthumously. Her vision expanded to include founding the Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care in Africa and establishing mobile and day hospices in Uganda.

She was known for her warmth, persistence, and uncompromising dedication to compassion. Her legacy isn’t just in organizations she built, but in the people she inspired—and in the daily acts of silent care she modeled for me and so many others