A light led hospice founder to east Africa

WHEN Dr Anne Merriman arrived in Uganda almost 20 years ago, the first thing that stood out for her was the number of coffin makers who had set up along the roadsides – the business of death in a country then dealing with the tragedy of an AIDS epidemic.

Working in hospitals where facilities were often limited, she realised patients were constantly sent home with the words, “there is nothing more we can do”. The ill could only return to their families who would often “put them in an outhouse because the howling of pain was too much”.

Since then, the 75-year- old doctor and former nun has pioneered the concept of hospice and end-of life care in Africa. And yesterday she was celebrating the opening of an Irish-funded Centre of Excellence in Uganda to develop and educate to build a palliative care system across Africa.