THE street pavements and alleyways in the heart of the Malaysian capital are home to the urban poor and the destitute. Every Wednesday after sunset, they gather along Jalan Hang Lekiu to wait for the Teddy Mobile Clinic, which provides free medical care for the homeless and urban poor.

The mobile clinic is run by Dr Madhusudhan Shanmugan, 35, and it will mark its second anniversary in August this year. It has grown from less than five volunteers to about 30 to 40 that also include the doctor’s own family members.

“Initially, it was a small set-up. We had one table and about four to five volunteers. Slowly, the news spread and today, we have volunteers coming from different professional backgrounds. My father and my elder brother, who are both doctors, will join us whenever they are free and my sister Sudheshna Shanmugam, a pharmacist, is always here,” he said.

The diverse group of volunteers is united by one purpose.

“To help the needy. The rising cost of living discourages these people from getting proper medical check-ups. I feel that they need, at the very least, basic medical attention and that is why we are here,” Dr Madhusudhan said.

The name “Teddy” was inspired by street children who nicknamed him “the teddy bear doctor”.

“I used to help another organisation, where I gave out a lot of free teddy bears to children on the streets. One day as I walking, one kid shouted out to me and called me ‘teddy bear doctor’. That’s when I got the name.

“But most people think I’m called teddy bear because of my size, which I can say is partially true,” the burly six-foot doctor said with a laugh.

On a typical night, volunteers were briefed and then divided into several groups to man a four-station process.

First, the mobile clinic gets the help of the Kechara Soup Kitchen to register patients and to keep their data for future reference.

After registration, patients move to the second station where doctors do sugar level and blood pressure checks. At the third station, more checks on the patient are made before they proceed to the final station, the medical dispensary.

All the while, other volunteers act as runner, guiding the patients from one station to another.

“My volunteers are everything to me. Without them, this mobile clinic wouldn’t be running. Even on the days I’m not around, the mobile clinic still operates, thanks to the volunteers. We are more like a family,” Dr Madhusudhan told The Malaysian Insight.

In the early stages, he bore the mobile clinic’s cost for medicine out of his own pocket. As news of the work spread on social media, donors have stepped in to support the weekly clinic.

“We get medical supplies and other necessary items from these donors. When we conduct a donation drive, we are able to achieve it within 48 hours. Social media really helps,” he said.

With a reliable group of volunteers and financial support from donors, Teddy Mobile Clinic has plans to expand its services to the needy in other locations.

Dr Madhusudhan said he has been approached by a number of groups who want to follow what he has started, and he has shared his experiences without hesitation.

“I’ve always encouraged people to help. We are not competing with others. We want people to follow what we’ve done. If it benefits other people, then go ahead and do it. Some people claim that what we are doing is for fame, but if being famous benefits others, then so be it.” – July 22, 2017.