Doctor fighting leprosy gets German award

Dr Chris Schmotzer, a medical doctor who has been working for years at the Leprosy Hospital in Rawalpindi, was on Friday awarded with Germany’s highest civil award, the Order of Merit. The award was presented to Dr Schmotzer on Friday by German Ambassador Bernhard Schlagheck at the German Embassy in Islamabad. “Dr Chris Schmotzer is a role model of true philanthropy,” said Schlagheck, adding, “Thirty-three years ago, as a young woman, she decided to devote her life to the service of humanity.” In Rawalpindi and beyond, the envoy said, Dr Schmotzer is widely known and respected as a compassionate and devoted medical doctor who always gives priority to the treatment of the sick and needy. “As a token of appreciation of the German Federal President for her tireless work, I gladly hand over the Cross of Merit to Dr Schmotzer,” he said while presenting her with the Cross of Merit. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Health Dr Faisal Sultan commended Dr Schmotzer for her work and that of her team. As the director of the Rawalpindi Leprosy Hospital, she has been serving people in the garrison city for the past 33 years, offering treatment to patients with leprosy, tuberculosis, eye and skin diseases as well as rehabilitation measures. Being a member of the German Protestant Sisterhood of Christ-Bearers, the “German sister” – as she is called by her patients – decided to move to Pakistan shortly after finishing her medical studies in 1988. Since then, she has contributed to fighting leprosy and tuberculosis in Pakistan. She also closely collaborated with Dr Ruth Pfau and the Marie Adelaide Leprosy Centre in Karachi.