Ruth Pfau (born 1929) is a German nun, a member of the Society of Daughters of the Heart of Mary who devoted her life for the leprosy patients in Pakistan.

Ruth Pfau was born in Leipzig, Germany in 1929. Ruth Pfau is a German-born Pakistani human right activisit. She is a national of Pakistan. They were five sisters and one brother. After World War II when the Russians occupied east Germany she escaped to Western Germany along with her family and chose medicine as her future career. In 1949 she studied medicine at Mainz. She was not satisfied with her life. She wanted to do something with her life. It was chance that brought Dr. Pfau to Pakistan. In 1962 she was on her way to India after joining a religious order, but due to visa problems she made a stopover in Pakistan. She came to Karachi and visited a leprosy colony McLeod Road behind the City Railway Station. Here she decided that the care of patients would be her life's calling. She started with medical treatment for the Leprosy patients in a hut in this slumquarter. The Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre^[1] was founded and social work for the leprosy patients and their family members was started by Dr.I.K.Gill. A Leprosy Clinic was bought in April 1963 and patients from all over Karachi, Pakistan and even from Afghanistan came for treatment.^[2]

Since that time the work grew fast and small treatment centres were established in Karachi and all over Pakistan, training for paramedical workers and social workers were given and health education started to get over prejudices and fear.

Dr.Pfau went to the far off areas of Pakistan where there were no medical facilities for leprosy patients. She collected donations in Germany and Pakistan and cooperated with hospitals in Rawalpindi and Karachi.

Ruth Pfau is recognised in Pakistan and abroad as a distinguished human being and has been awarded many prizes and medals. Sister Ruth Pfau was among recipients of civilian awards at President's House on Pakistan Day March 23, 1989. Sister Pfau received the Hilal-i-Pakistan award for her work with leprosy patients.^[3]

Speaking at a function in Islamabad on January 30, 2000, to mark the 47th World Leprosy Day, President Rafiq Tarar praised Sister Ruth Pfau, who built up the National Leprosy Control Program in Pakistan, for working not only for those afflicted with leprosy, but also for those with TB.^[4]

[edit] Honours

• 1969 - Order of Merit (Germany)
• 1969 medal of Pakistan Sitara i Quaid i Azam
• 2002 Ramon Magsaysay Award ^[5]
• In April 2003 Dr Pfau was awarded the Jinnah Award for 2002. ^[6]

[edit] References

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