Vicenza, Italy, October 2024 – Today, the International Network of Social Clinics (INOSC) proudly presents its much-anticipated Manifesto, a culmination of years of collaborative effort among health practitioners, activists, researchers and social clinics from across Europe and beyond. This landmark document reflects a collective vision for reimagining healthcare by integrating a political perspective into the very fabric of care.
The Manifesto’s journey began in March 2021, with INOSC’s initial connections and dialogues. The network’s roots, however, run deeper than healthcare provision. They’re grounded in a shared commitment to addressing systemic injustices through what INOSC calls a “political dimension of care.” As the network evolved, the first gathering in December 2021 laid the foundation for the development of this manifesto. In Thessaloniki in 2022, network members identified the need for a unifying statement to encapsulate their values, efforts, and goals. Today, after years of drafting, reflecting, and refining through continuous dialogue, INOSC is ready to share this vision.
“The Manifesto speaks to our shared belief that healthcare is a field where both social and political struggles can converge,” says Angela, a long-standing INOSC member and contributor, part of the Ambulatorio Popolare Caracol Olo Jackson in Vicenza. “It was an intense process, full of debates and different perspectives. What unites us, though, is the recognition that healthcare must not only treat the body but also address the societal structures affecting us.”
A Framework for Transformation
The Manifesto, composed of seven sections, addresses multiple areas vital to the network’s mission, from the establishment of anti-authoritarian practices and community-based approaches to advocating for holistic, anti-hierarchical healthcare. It critiques a “harm-focused and emergency-based” approach often seen in conventional medicine and calls instead for relational, prevention-centered practices that emphasize the interconnectedness of physical, mental, and social health.
“We envision a different kind of medicine,” shares Eva, a doctor and member of the social solidarity clinic KIA, in Thessaloniki. “For me, this journey is about building a practice where health encompasses social determinants. It’s about spending time with patients and understanding their broader contexts—something I couldn’t find in the traditional biomedical model.”
Solidarity as a Political Practice
Key to the INOSC approach is the principle of solidarity. For the network, solidarity goes beyond charity; it is a practice of shared responsibility, mutual respect, and resource-sharing. This ethos, present in every aspect of the Manifesto, fosters a system where care is collaborative rather than paternalistic, political rather than biomedical and collective rather than individualized. This collaboration invites individuals to participate actively in their healthcare journey, contributing not only to their own healing but to the collective health of their community.
“One of the greatest challenges and achievements of INOSC is creating spaces where patients are not passive recipients but active participants,” says Tea, another contributor from the Microclinics Fatih in Turin. “Our goal is to build communities around these clinics, empowering people to shape the spaces that are intended to serve them.” This approach is critical to fostering a shared, non-hierarchical responsibility within the clinic and beyond, in order to foster community participation and fight against the impact of structural violence.
A Call to Action
The INOSC Manifesto is a call for others to join this movement and adopt a transformative approach to healthcare that acknowledges the political roots of many health inequities. With the Manifesto’s release, INOSC hopes to inspire activists, clinics, and health professionals worldwide to form a collective, transnational alliance grounded in these values.
By collectively rethinking healthcare practices, INOSC envisions a future where solidarity, community, and political engagement drive health and well-being. This vision continues to resonate and grow, inviting others to join in a shared movement of collaboration, action, and transformation. In this spirit, INOSC invites all individuals and organizations with similar commitments to join them in exploring practical steps toward these goals, building a network of social clinics dedicated to political and community-centered healthcare practices.
For more information on the INOSC Manifesto or to get involved, visit INOSC’s official website and join the conversation on how we can reshape healthcare through collaboration and collective action.
“We have defined health beyond services and the body… We have created caring relationships and identified a pathway… It is up to our collective creativity to figure out how to move forward…”
