Eight years after her passing, the legacy of Dr Ruth Pfau — the German-born physician who dedicated her life to eradicating leprosy in Pakistan — continues to inspire and serve thousands nationwide.
Known as Pakistan’s “Mother Teresa”, Dr Pfau devoted more than five decades to the care of those shunned by society. Born on September 9, 1929, in Leipzig, Germany, she lived through World War II before moving to West Germany to study medicine at the University of Mainz. In 1960, en route to India, she was stranded in Karachi due to visa complications. The plight of leprosy patients she encountered here changed the course of her life.
In 1963, she established Pakistan’s first leprosy treatment centre on McLeod Road in Karachi, which evolved into the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC). Today, MALC operates 157 centres nationwide, offering treatment to more than 57,000 patients. Over the years, its services have expanded to maternal and child health, tuberculosis care, and support for the visually impaired and physically challenged.
Colleagues recall that Dr Pfau’s compassion extended beyond medical treatment. She would personally visit remote areas, sit and eat with lepers, and even inspect their kitchens to understand their economic conditions, often arranging financial help for housing or small businesses. “She never felt repulsed,” said MALC CEO Maron Lobo, recalling how Dr Pfau would share tea and biscuits with the same hands that had dressed infected wounds.
Her humility was legendary. She travelled in vans, walked to church, and eschewed official protocol. She was on the front lines during the 2005 earthquake, 2010 floods, and drought relief efforts in Balochistan. Her humanitarian work earned her several national honours, including the Hilal-e-Pakistan and Hilal-e-Imtiaz. Germany awarded her the BAMBI Award in 2012, where she reminded the audience: “At this moment, it’s midnight in Pakistan, and many children will go to sleep hungry. Your world is not my world.”
Dr Pfau passed away on August 10, 2017, after a prolonged illness, becoming the first non-Muslim woman in Pakistan to be buried with state honours. Karachi’s Civil Hospital now bears her name, and her former residence has been turned into a museum.
For the patients she embraced when no one else would, and for the nation she chose as home, Dr Ruth Pfau remains a beacon of selfless service — a legacy that lives far beyond her years.
