Ruth Pfau FCM | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau 9 September 1929 |
| Died | 10 August 2017 (aged 87) |
| Resting place | Gora Qabaristan, Karachi, Pakistan |
| Monuments | Dr. Ruth Pfau Hospital |
| Nationality | German, Pakistani |
| Other names | "Pakistan's Mother Teresa" |
| Alma mater | University of Mainz |
| Occupation(s) | Roman Catholic Nun, Physician, Writer |
| Known for | Founder of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre |
| Notable work | National Leprosy Control Program in Pakistan |
| Awards | Hilal-i-Imtiaz Ramon Magsaysay Award Hilal-i-Pakistan (1989) Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam (2010) Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam |
Ruth Katherina Martha Pfau, FCM (9 September 1929 – 10 August 2017) was a German–Pakistani Catholic Christian religious sister and physician who was a member of the "Society of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary". She emigrated from Germany in 1961 and devoted more than 55 years of her life to fighting leprosy in Pakistan. Pfau was honoured with Hilal-e-Pakistan, Hilal-i-Imtiaz, Nishan-i-Quaid-i-Azam, and the Sitara-i-Quaid-i-Azam awards.
Pfau contributed to the establishment of 157 leprosy clinics across Pakistan that treated over 56,780 people. Fazaia Ruth Pfau Medical College and Dr. Ruth Pfau Hospital are named after her in Karachi. She died in August 2017 and was buried with full state honours.