Google has paid a tribute to Dr. Ruth Katharina Martha Pfau on her 90th birthday with Google Doodle, which falls on September 9.
Born in Leipzig, Germany, on September 9, 1929, Dr. Pfau dedicated more than 55 years of her life to eliminating leprosy from Pakistan. She moved to Pakistan from Germany in 1961.
Google often pays tributes to prominent personalities with special logos on its homepage called Doodles. In the recent past, Google has paid tribute to renowned personalities and many others who dedicated their lives to serve humanity.
Recognized as Pakistan’s Mother Teresa, Dr. Pfau is a “symbol of selflessness.” She saw cases of leprosy in Pakistan in 1961 and started many dispensaries across the nation. She rescued many people, including children, who contracted the contagious disease.
She established Pakistan’s National Leprosy Control Program and Marie Adelaide Leprosy Center. Dr. Pfau trained many doctors in Pakistan to treat leprosy and eradicate the condition.
Dr. Pfau received many honors for her devotion toward serving humanity. In 1979, she received Pakistan’s second-highest civilian award. In 2015, she received the German Staufer Medal. She died on August 10, 2017, at the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. According to reports, she refused life support for her respiratory issues because she wanted to live a natural life. She had several health issues because of her advanced age, including heart and kidney disease.
