Uganda celebrates world hospice and palliative care day

12 October 2025, 3:25 pm

By Byamukama Alozious

Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, with a focus on promoting palliative care education and awareness. The event, hosted by the Palliative Care Association of Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of Health, brought together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss the importance of palliative care in improving the lives of patients with serious illnesses.

Kedrace Turyagyenda, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Sports, emphasised the need to integrate palliative care into the education system, saying, “Palliative care teaches the heart, what these students have been saying in the poem. It teaches you to be compassionate. It teaches you to be human.”

The Ministry of Health has been working to strengthen palliative care services across the country. Charles Olaro, Director of Health Services, noted that “access to morphine is a problem.” The government has also been working to upgrade palliative care training institutions, with a focus on offering degree and diploma programmes.

Prossy Nakayanja, representing Hospice Africa Uganda, highlighted the organisation’s 32-year history of providing clinical care, education, and advocacy for palliative care. “In 1993, Hospice Africa Uganda was born in a two-bedroom house in Nsambya by Dr. Anne Merriman,” she said. “Today, we have grown to three sites in Kampala, Hoima, and Mbarara, offering clinical care, education, and advocacy for palliative care across Uganda.”

The celebration also featured performances by students, showcasing their understanding of palliative care and its importance in promoting compassionate health services. Nixon Niyonzima, Board Chair of the Palliative Care Association of Uganda, emphasised the need for skilled practitioners, public awareness, and better integration into the health system to strengthen palliative care services.