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On September the 9th, 1929, Ruth Katharina Martha Pfau was born in Leipzig Germany. Located about one hundred and fifty kilometers south of Berlin, Leizpig was a city of culture, music, publishing and a center of trade since the days of the Holy Roman empire. She was fourth among her five sisters and had a strong friendship with her father Walther Pfau, who was a middle class man associated with the publishing industry.
She grew up seeing the horrors of world war two. Her father sent her and her sisters to her grandmother's home, which was in a relatively safe locality. Her beloved city was bombed and captured after fierce urban combat by American forces.
Leizpig was given to the Soviets and was a part of East Germany.
Due to critical economic conditions of communist controlled East Germany, her only younger brother died. Ruth spent her time looking after the sick. She wanted to study but her application for admission in college was rejected.
Walther Pfau illegally migrated to West Germany and once again got attached with publishing business. When he became well settled in Wiesbeden, he called his daughter Ruth Pfau in 1948 to come to West Germany. For this, she had to cross the border illegally and while doing so, she was caught but a German soldier let her go. After some time, the entire family migrated to Wiesbaden.
Her father wanted her to help him with his publishing business but clearly she had no interest in that.
Her experience of looking after the injured soldiers and refugees inspired her to study medicine. For this, she studied in the University of Mainz and afterwards in university of Marburg. Later she specialized in gynecology from Bonn University and started her work as an internee.
She met many different people during that time and her experience with them inspired her to do something for humanity. She became a religious person during that time and later in 1956, she travelled to Paris and became a nun and joined the order "daughters of heart of Marry" despite opposition from her father.
Arrival in Pakistan
The disease of leprosy (جذام) was present in third world countries unlike the developed countries and as it was a skin disease, the patient was usually left helpless by his relatives and even in cases when relatives kept the patient, he or she was left alone in a seperate room for most of the time. Childern especially were kept away from the patient. In Karachi, one such colony or a slum of leprosy was present in an area of McLeod road in which only leepers lived in appalling and miserable conditions.
The Leprosy work was started in 1956 by a group of ordinary people in the slum quarters of McLeod Road behind the present JANG press. The leading names of the first volunteer group were Mrs. Beatrix Menezes, Sr. Bernice Vargas, Dr. Anne Rochs and Sr. Mary Doyale. The living condition of the Lepers Colony was sub-human. There were no proper drugs to treat Leprosy, no facilities, no electricity, no water but a small dispensary which the group had established with the help of wooden crates. Sewage water mixed with all the garbage and stench overflowing from the open drains and the long lines of people who had lost their dignity because of being affected by Leprosy, and to add to the sorrow were some patients whose hands and feet became nutritional supplements for rats. Despite all these challenges the group started the fight against Leprosy. The group used to conduct all their work from the dispensary. Help used to come, in the form of bandages and food for patients from various donor agencies.
In 1960, the order decided that Ruth be sent to it's branch in India but due to some visa problems, she was told to get to Karachi first and then India.
After landing in the hot weather of Karachi to which Ruth Pfau was not used to, she setteled in girls hostel in GuruMindar. It was there, where she met the Maxican origin sister Bernice Vergas who was a pharmist. Vergas invited Ruth to visit the leprosy patients colony.
On her very first visit to the Leprosy patients’ colony, she got depressed with the situation and ultimately decided to stay in Pakistan to help the affected Leprosy patients. As she knew little about leprosy so she consulted books on leprosy before leaving for Madras, India for short courses. After returning from India, she quickly reorganized the rough-hewn dispensary into a proper hospital building – a full service Leprosy treatment and rehabilitation center, free to patients.
Many people considered leprosy as the punishment of God and disliked the patients. Own blood relatives of leepers would leave them alone and would not even touch them. In many cases, the relatives would leave the patient in leepers colony to die and would not even do the final rites of the deceased. Many times the leepers burried and offered namaz e jinazah of a dead themselves as the own relatives of the deceased would excuse to burry him. On the contrary, Ruth touched the patients, hugged them and kissed their foreheads.
After some time, a German daily published Ruth's story and afterwards, "German leprosy relief association" started funding her.
As the news of the work spread, there were some doctors who came forward and offered their voluntary services at regular intervals, amongst them was a dermatologist, Dr. Zarina Fazelbhoy, who till 1997 was associated with "leprosy control program" and very active with fund raising activities of the Centre. Due to her serious illness was unable to continue and expired in February 1999.
Dr. Pfau visualized the need to establish a Leprosy hospital in order to cater to the needs of the many patients visiting the dispensary. With the help of funds from Germany in 1963 a small clinic was acquired in Saddar area close to the Passport Office. While shifting dispensary to Saddar a lot of opposition from the neighbours was met due to the stigma of Leprosy in the society but thanks to the persistence of Dr. Pfau and Dr. Zarina the small start in a one storied building mushroomed into a 8 storied Medical Building. In 1965 Pfau's team started "leprosy control program" which was to expand the fight against leprosy to the entire country.
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.
In 1968, Dr. Pfau persuaded the Government of Pakistan to undertake a National Leprosy Control Programme in partnership with MALC(Marie Adelaide leprosy center) and began setting up Leprosy-control centers across the country.
In Zia's era, she was appointed president's advisor on leprosy control, an appointment which she held till 2000. In 1988, in recognition of her services, she was awarded Pakistani citizenship. According to Pfau, her suggestions were taken seriously and government of Pakistan cooperated with her.
In 1989 Dr Ruth Pfau visited Afghanistan and started her efforts against leprosy there apart from fighying leprosy in Afghan refugee camps in Pakistan. She was respected everywhere because of her work.
Today, Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre is the hub of 157 Leprosy control centers, with over eight hundred staff members.
Thanks to the efforts of Dr Ruth Pfau, Dr Zarrina FazlBhoy and MALC, Pakistan was declared leprosy in 1996.
The prevalence of the disease reduced to the extent that the World Health Organization declared the disease to be under control in Pakistan, one of the first countries in EMRO Region to achieve this goal.
Dr Ruth was very active in taking part in the relief activities in the aftermath of 2005 earthquake and 2010 floods.
Dr Ruth Pfau identifies herself as a Pakistani, wears Pakistani dress shalwar kameez only. Says that if she were to be born again, she would be born in Pakistan. Dr Ruth likes German literature and newspapers but stays away from television. She liked the movie khuda kay liyay. The news of bomb blasts and killings in Pakistan concern her deeply.
Following medals and awards were given to Dr Ruth Pfau in recognition of her services
1968: The Order of the Cross from Germany.
1969: Sitara-e-Quaid-e-Azam from Government of Pakistan
1979: Hilal-e-Imtiaz from Government of Pakistan
1985: The Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit with Star from Germany
1989: Hilal-e-Pakistan from Government of Pakistan
1991: Damien-Dutton Award from USA
1991: Osterreischische Albert Schweitzer Gasellschaft from Austria
2002: Ramon Magsaysay Award from Government of Philippines
2003: The Jinnah Award from the Jinnah Society Pakistan
2003: In The Name of Allah Award by Idara Wiqar-e-Adab Pakistan
2004: Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) from Aga Khan University
2004: Life-time Achievement Award from the Rotary Club of Karachi
2005: Marion Doenhoff-Prize, Germany
2006: Life-time Achievement Award from the President of Pakistan
2006: Woman of the Year 2006 Award by CityFM89
2006: Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Health
2009: Nesvita Women of Strength Awards by TVONE
2009: Life-time Achievement Khidmat Award by Al-Fikar International.
On 8th March 2010 she completed her 50 years in Pakistan. Her dedicated services and commitment to eradicate Leprosy and uplift of Marginalized groups in Pakistan gratefully acknowledged and honoured by both her national and international friends and by patients and staff at MALC.
19th February 2010 – The Hamdard University Karachi organized a grand function in honor of Dr. Pfau at their University Campus which attended by renowned celebrities.
6th March 2010 – The Consulate General of Germany in Karachi organized a music concert by Carolina Eyck and her ensemble in honour of Dr. Ruth Pfau at his residence.
7th March 2010 – Patients and Staff celebrated an evening with Dr. Pfau
8th March 2010 – Supporters and well wishers celebrated the day with Dr. Pfau
10th March 2010 – The Health Minister Sindh hosted a lunch and presented a shield
19th February 2010 – Hamdard University (Madinat-al-Hikmah) to acknowledge her lifetime selfless services to the people of Pakistan.
11th March, 2010 – Shield presented by Dr. Saghir Ahmed, Minister Health, Government of Sindh for completion of 50 years of Selfless and Meritorius Service for the Patients of Leprosy.
12th March, 2010 – Shield presented by Staff & Students of Happy Home School in appreciation of 50 years of meritorius services for the Eradication of Leprosy in Pakistan.
12th March, 2010 – Shield presented by Dawood Capital Management Limited on winning the LADIESFUND Woman of the Year Award.
2nd February, 2011 – Lifetime Achievement Award 2011 presented by the International Schools Educational Olympiad, orgaised by Karachi High School.
12th February, 2011 – LADIESFUND woman of the Year Award.
23rd March, 2011 - "Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam" Award presented by the President of Pakistan.
Reference
MALC - Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre
