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Dr. Ruth Pfau (Pakistan’s Mother Teresa) Age, Death Cause, Biography, Facts & More

Dr. Ruth Pfau

Bio
Full NameRuth Katherina Martha Pfau
NicknamePakistan's Mother Teresa
ProfessionNun, Physician, Writer
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)in centimeters- 163 cm
in meters- 1.63 m
in feet inches- 5’ 4”
Weight (approx.)in kilograms- 55 kg
in pounds- 121 lbs
Eye ColourHazel Brown
Hair ColourWhite
Personal Life
Date of Birth9 September 1929
Birth PlaceLeipzig, Germany
Date of Death10 August 2017 (around 04:00 am PST)
Place of DeathAga Khan Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan
Age (at the time of death)87 Years
Death CauseA prolonged age-related illness
Resting PlaceKarachi, Pakistan
Zodiac sign/Sun signVirgo
NationalityGerman, Pakistani
HometownLeipzig, Germany
SchoolNot Known
College/UniversityUniversity of Mainz, Rhineland Palatinate, Germany
Educational QualificationA Degree in Medicine University of Mainz
FamilyFather- Name Not Known
Mother- Name Not Known
Brother- 1
Sisters- 4
ReligionChristianity
HobbiesDoing Philanthropy, Reading, Writing
Awards/Honours1969: Honoured with Order of Merit (Germany) and Sitara i Quaid i Azam.
1979: Honoured with Hilal-e-Imtiaz.
1989: Honoured with Hilal-i-Pakistan.
2002: Awarded with Ramon Magsaysay Award.
2003: Awarded with Jinnah Award for 2002.
Dr Ruth Pfau With Jinnah Award
2004: Given Doctor of Science (DSc), honoris causa, Aga Khan University, Karachi.
Dr Ruth Pfau With Doctor of Science Aga Khan University
2010: Honoured with Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam for public service.
Dr Ruth Pfau With Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam
2015: Awarded with the Staufer Medal at the German consulate Karachi.
Boys, Affairs and More
Marital StatusUnmarried
Husband/SpouseN/A
ChildrenN/A

Dr. Ruth Pfau

Some Lesser Known Facts About Dr. Ruth Pfau

  • Dr. Ruth Pfau was born to a Christian family in Leipzig, Germany. Dr Ruth Pfau
  • She had five siblings (4 sisters and 1 brother).
  • During the bombings of the Second World War, her home was destroyed.
  • After the end of the War, when East Germany was occupied by the Soviets, she moved to West Germany along with her family.
  • While in West Germany, she chose medicine as her future career.
  • During the 1950s, Dr. Ruth studied Medicine at the University of Mainz.
  • After completing her studies, she joined the Daughters of the Heart of Mary – a Catholic order.
  • In 1960, she was sent to Southern India by her order. However, due to a Visa issue, she became stuck in Karachi.
  • Dr. Ruth was 29 years old when she first landed in Karachi. She travelled different parts of Pakistan and across the border of Afghanistan to help patients that were abandoned by their families. Dr Ruth Pfau In Pakistan
  • She was so moved by the plight of Leprosy victims in Pakistan that she decided to stay forever in Pakistan to treat them.
  • In 1962, she founded the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi. Later, she set up its branches in all provinces of Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan.
  • She used to treat patients with a kind heart. Sometimes she used to set up open clinics in emergent situations and started treating patients diligently. Dr Ruth Pfau In An Open Clinic
  • She had treated more than 50,000 families, and due to her tireless efforts, the World Health Organisation in 1996 declared Pakistan one of the first countries in Asia to be free of leprosy.
  • In the early morning of 10 August 2017, Dr. Ruth died after a prolonged age-related illness in a hospital in Karachi.
  • Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said, “Pfau may have been born in Germany, but her heart was always in Pakistan.”
  • German Embassy released a statement that reads “With great concern we have got the sad massage of the death of Dr. Ruth Pfau. She was a devoted Christian nun and a member of the society of Daughters of the Heart of Mary. We are losing with her an important symbol of the German Pakistan friendship. Her services will never be forgotten.”
  • Here’s is the snippet of Dr. Ruth Pfau’s life and her noble works towards the humanity: