Photo courtesy of the Social Pharmacy Kavala

Description

Across Europe, national health systems are suffering under the pressure of cuts in public funding and staff. Under the direction of governments and European bodies, medical centres, departments and hospitals have been closed or downgraded and people who could once enjoy free or low-cost healthcare are suddenly finding themselves unable to pay for suddenly expensive health services.

In the face of this health emergency there are many who have refused to remain impassive, opening self-managed social clinics. Some of these initiatives were born initially from the necessity of giving medical care to migrants excluded from the health system, but day-by-day they serve more nationals that have been left out of health coverage or that cannot afford medicines. Others have emerged as a direct result of the economic crisis.

Examples

1.) Metropolitan Social Clinic at Hellinko (Greece)

• A network of doctors providing free medical assistance to the unemployed and poorer civilians.

2.) Social Pharmacy of Kavala (Greece)

• A project, in collaboration with the local council, that provides health services to underprivileged citizens, namely by collecting and managing unused medicines from households. In this case, the local authorities provided the premises for the medical office, thus giving legitimacy to the project and the people involved.