Bringing help and hope to the streets

As night falls, life in this stretch of Jalan Hang Lekiu, Kuala Lumpur takes on a different countenance. By day, the street is a hive of activity bustling with the energy of students and businesses. At night, the pavements assume the role of homes and shelters to a group of homeless people.

Every Wednesday, come foul or fair weather, a small corner of this street plays host to a mobile clinic, which attends to the medical needs of all comers irrespective of class, creed or nationality.

Founded and headed by ‘Teddy Bear Doctor’ S. Madhusudan — who was bequeathed this title by street kids due to his penchant for gifting them teddy bears — the Teddy Mobile Clinic has extended this incredible free service since August 2015. Having kicked off with just one doctor and a handful of volunteers, the team now services two locations, with each station fielding a few doctors and more than 20 volunteers, including pharmacists.

“At each session, we typically see about 25 to 35 patients ranging from the homeless and urban poor, to foreigners and refugees. Sadly, there are a large number of homeless people in KL who are reluctant to take advantage of the medical services of government hospitals for fear of being judged and discriminated against, while the foreigners don’t have the documentation required by hospitals. But there’s no prejudice or racial tension among the homeless. They always look out for each other,” explains Dr Madhu, who is not new to the role of service, having volunteered first at Kechara Soup Kitchen as well as old folks homes and orphanages, before starting up his mobile clinic.

During the course of my interactions with some of the patients, I discover that these homeless people have ended up on the streets for a myriad of reasons. Some even have jobs but as they find the cost of living in the city prohibitive, they have opted to sleep on the streets instead, availing themselves to public facilities which enable them to send back their earnings to assist their families.

Says 68-year-old street dweller Uncle Mat in surprisingly fluent English, “I’ve been homeless for decades, no point lah to say why. In fact, you can consider me as a pioneer homeless person. I’m here every week to collect my high blood pressure medicines. Dr Madhu will personally treat me, he’s a very caring man. That’s why I’m so thankful to him and his team for providing us with such a valuable service.”

“Sometimes our patients just want company. They want someone who will listen without judging and since we have been around for a few years now, they have become comfortable with us,” states veteran volunteer Thiru Nandhini.

So how is the mobile clinic funded? “Initially, I bore the cost of medicines and other necessities but as word spread, people started to donate supplies. I’m truly fortunate to have such a dedicated family of volunteers and kind donors and it’s thanks to them that we can provide this service,” Dr Madhu concludes.

Of course the Teddy Mobile Clinic is just one of many stories of selflessness and charity in our own backyard. Yet, it is by witnessing the stream of patients who turn up knowing that the Clinic will be there every Wednesday without fail, that one appreciates the sense of dependence and corresponding responsibility that bind the relationship between the patients and volunteers.

At the end of the day, the storyline is simple. A silent call for help has been answered by a group of individuals without wish for recognition or reward. It all happens late at night under the cover of dark skies, within the streets of Kuala Lumpur which neither judge nor discriminate against those in need of a helping hand. It is against this unassuming backdrop that the best amongst us are to be found.

Teddy Mobile Clinic

Facebook: teddyclinic

This report is part of the "Apprentices Oh Hope" segment in Live! 2019.

This story first appeared in Live! 2019 magazine. Download your copy of the magazine here.