Dr Solehin proposes subsidised ambulance service, free house calls in Bemban

JASIN: A subsidised non-emergency ambulance service and fee-waived house calls form the core of the local healthcare plan of Bersama's Bemban candidate, Dr Muhamad Solehin Saleh.

The medical practitioner said the initiative, part of his 'Sepuluh Tekad' (10 Pledges) for Bemban, focuses on reducing out-of-pocket medical transport costs for senior citizens and low-income families across the semi-urban constituency.

Under the plan, Dr Solehin aims to replicate the 'Ambulans Marhaen' model currently operated from his clinic in neighbouring Merlimau.

The service caters to non-critical needs, such as dialysis sessions and routine follow-up appointments, with families charged only for fuel.

He said trips within a 12km radius cost around RM100 in diesel, compared with standard commercial rates starting at RM350.

"Commercial transport rates place an unsustainable, recurring strain on bedridden patients and their caregivers.

"By limiting charges strictly to fuel costs, we can significantly ease that day-to-day burden," he said when met during campaign rounds.

Dr Solehin, whose younger brother is Umno Youth chief Datuk Dr Muhamad Akmal Saleh, said local demographic trends demand practical, localised solutions.

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Senior citizens make up an estimated 25 per cent of Bemban's population, with many living alone while their adult children work in urban centres.

To improve access for residents who are unable to move around, he also pledged home visits without standard consultation fees.

While acknowledging operational limits, he plans to expand the services through community wellness centres rather than full-fledged private clinics.

His team currently operates one vehicle, handling four to five trips daily while facing a backlog of more than 10 requests across Jasin and parts of Bemban.

"Private general practitioner (GP) house calls typically cost between RM150 and RM300 for consultation alone. We waive that fee for homebound patients, meaning they only pay for prescribed medication," he said.

"Setting up a private clinic comes with heavy regulatory procedures. A community health centre allows mobile medical teams and paramedics to conduct check-ups directly in housing areas and villages much faster," he said.

He added that the initiative was designed to ease the emotional and financial strain on the sandwich generation working outside the state while managing eldercare responsibilities back home.

"Affordable primary care is a direct public necessity, not a campaign luxury.

"When we go to the ground and visit the villages, we encounter bedridden and elderly patients who urgently need follow-up hospital visits or house-call treatments, but their families simply cannot afford private transport," he said.

"Whether as an assemblyman or through our existing healthcare teams, this is a welfare commitment we are already doing and will continue to bring to the people of Bemban," he added.

Bemban is a mixed constituency, with Malays making up 60 per cent of voters, followed by Chinese (21 per cent) and Indians (17 per cent).