Dr. Ruth Pfau

Nun, Physician, Writer

German, Pakistani Leipzig, Germany

Quick Info

ProfessionNun, Physician, Writer
NationalityGerman, Pakistani
Date of Birth09/09/1929
Age87 years (died on 10, Aug, 2017)
BirthplaceLeipzig, Germany
Date of Death10/08/2017

Latest News about Dr. Ruth Pfau

10/08/2025

Dr. Ruth Pfau was commemorated on her 8th death anniversary as the 'Mother Teresa of Pakistan' for her lifelong work fighting leprosy. The Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre, which she founded, continues to operate across Pakistan and remains associated with leprosy care and broader health services.

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Bio/Wiki

Full NameRuth Katherina Martha Pfau
NicknamePakistan's Mother Teresa

Physical Stats & More

Height163 cm
Weight55 kg
Eye ColorHazel Brown
Hair ColorWhite

Educational Qualification(s)

College/UniversityUniversity of Mainz, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
Educational QualificationA Degree in Medicine University of Mainz

Personal Life

ReligionChristianity
Hobbies
  • Doing Philanthropy
  • Reading
  • Writing

Relationships & More

Marital StatusUnmarried

Family

FatherLutheran Christian (Name not widely publicized)
MotherLutheran Christian (Name not widely publicized)
Siblings1 Brother, 4 Sisters

Career

Timeline
Founded the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi
WHO declared Pakistan free of leprosy due to her efforts
Moved to Pakistan to lead the fight against leprosy
Convinced the Government of Pakistan to start a National Leprosy Control Program
Awarded Pakistani citizenship
Started the first Leprosy Technicians’ course
Provided disaster relief during the 2005 earthquake
Provided disaster relief during the 2010 floods

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. A Christian family in Leipzig, Germany welcomed her into the world.
2. Her childhood home faced destruction in the bombings of World War II.
3. After the War, she relocated to West Germany.
4. In West Germany, she pursued a career in medicine.
5. Her journey to Southern India redirected to Karachi due to a Visa issue.
6. She made a life-changing choice to stay in Pakistan and provide care for leprosy patients.
7. Over 50,000 families received her compassionate treatment.
8. Leprosy centers were set up in all provinces of Pakistan under her leadership.
9. She established various small medical centers across Pakistan to tackle leprosy.
10. She wrote four books in German about her contributions in Pakistan.
11. She was a member of the Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary.
12. She started the first Leprosy Technicians’ course in 1965.
13. Her work expanded to tuberculosis, blindness prevention, and disaster relief including the 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods.
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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