A significant award honouring the life and legacy of the late Dr Anne Merriman, the inspirational humanitarian and Irish citizen who pioneered palliative care in Africa, has been announced by Minister of State for International Development and Diaspora, Neale Richmond TD.
The Dr Anne Merriman Excellence in Palliative Care in Africa Award will celebrate and support outstanding contributions to palliative care across the continent. Funded by the Government through Irish Aid, the award will provide €20,000 every two years to an
individual or organisation demonstrating exceptional innovation, compassionate care, research, or long-standing commitment to advancing palliative care in Africa.The award honours the remarkable achievements of Dr Merriman, who died in May 2025 at the age of 90. Dr Merriman – who was born in Liverpool to Irish parents and who did her medical training in University College Dublin - was a global leader in palliative care and the founder of Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU) in 1993, where her ground-breaking work has brought pain relief and dignity to more than 40,000 patients and their families.
Minister Richmond said:
This award is a fitting tribute to Dr Merriman’s extraordinary legacy and reflects Ireland’s commitment to dignity and compassion in healthcare. Dr Merriman dedicated her life to ensuring that people with life-limiting illnesses in Africa receive care, compassion, and dignity. This award reflects her vision and ensures her legacy continues to inspire innovation and excellence in palliative care across Africa.
Dr Emmanuel Luyirika, Executive Director of the African Palliative Care Association, said:
Dr. Merriman left a legacy of compassion through her vital work with people with life-limiting illnesses. We are delighted to partner with Irish Aid to ensure that legacy continues and to support people or organisations delivering palliative care in Africa.
Dr Merriman’s vision was that palliative care would be available to all in need in Africa, and HAU was the model of holistic palliative care she wanted replicated throughout the continent. Central to this model was using an affordable oral liquid morphine formula, which Dr Merriman developed when she worked in Singapore, to manage patients’ pain.
The award was officially launched at the 8th International African Palliative Care & Allied Services Conference organised by the African Palliative Care Association (APCA) in Gaborone, Botswana.
At the conference, advocate for dying well and chair of the Irish Hospice Foundation, Jean Callanan, presented new research showing the significant impact of Ireland on Palliative Care in Africa since 2020. Her research revealed that at least 25 projects initiated for funded by Irish people or organisations have been behind palliative care initiatives across the continent.
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