KARACHI: Dr Ruth Pfau, the German-Pakistani doctor who dedicated her life to helping leprosy patients in Pakistan and is one of the founders of Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre (MALC), is critically ill and admitted to a private hospital.

The humanitarian, who turns 88 on September 9, has been dealing with several health problems brought on by advancing age including heart disease, for which she has been undergoing treatment for several years.

Being in and out of hospitals since last December for various reasons including a fractured arm, Dr Pfau was admitted to a private hospital again last Friday. She was put on a ventilator after her condition worsened on Sunday but according to a source close to her, she refused life support after which doctors took her off the ventilator on Monday as per her wishes.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2017