This is a reminder for our next seminar on Health and Health Systems in the Global Context (HHSGC). This is an interdisciplinary seminar series which aims to bring together researchers interested in broadening the understanding and tackling some of the most pressing challenges faced by health systems globally. The series provides a forum for interdisciplinary exchange, showcasing theoretical and empirical research, policy analysis, and implementation insights from diverse regional, disciplinary and methodological perspectives.
Next seminar
Speaker: Dr. Rory Horner, Reader in Globalisation and Political Economy in the Global Development Institute (GDI), University of Manchester
Date: 17 June 12:00-13:00 pm
Location: Uni Place_5.207 - in person only and no registration required
Topic: How India’s pharmaceuticals transformed Africa: South-South value chains and development
India has become a – and in many cases is the – major supplier of pharmaceuticals to many, especially Anglophone, countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This talk identifies three distinct South-South value chains through which India’s pharmaceuticals are supplied to Africa are identified – centred around private markets, global donors and public procurement. Each of these value chains differs in terms of the governance structure and entry barriers, as well as variation in the nature and extent of participation by Indian, as well as local, pharmaceutical companies. Through being the backbone to increasing supply of vital medicines, Indian involvement has undoubtedly had major beneficial impacts. At the same time, downsides are also present, including the competitive challenge to local manufacturing in sub-Saharan Africa and some incidents of supply of poor-quality drugs. Ultimately, through the story of India’s pharmaceuticals in Africa, new insights are revealed into public health and development in Africa, as well as globalisation, in the 21st century.
About the speaker: Dr. Rory Horner is a Reader in Globalisation and Political Economy at the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester. His research focuses on pharmaceuticals, globalisation and global value chains (GVCs), and global development. He studies the political economy of the pharmaceutical industry, based on fieldwork in countries including Ghana, India, Kenya, South Africa, and Uganda, with a particular focus on India’s role as a major producer of generic medicines. He has also examined prospects for local pharmaceutical production in sub-Saharan Africa. His work on GVCs explores changing globalisation patterns, such as South-South value chains and state roles, while his global development research considers the shift toward a new development paradigm for development studies.
We would like to highlight upcoming events:
Urban ageing in the margins: Global perspectives
Date: 23 June 2026, 9:30-15:00
Location: Roscoe Building Room 1.009, University of Manchester (in-person event only)
The Manchester Urban Ageing Research Group (MUARG) and Healthier Futures are hosting an international seminar and roundtable bringing together leading and emerging scholars from Chile, Canada, the United States, and New Zealand working on urban ageing and inequality. Presentations will address a range of topics including housing precarity, community participation, dementia-inclusive and age-friendly environments, ageing in informal urban settlements, and co-production. The event includes a morning public seminar, lunch, and afternoon interactive roundtable. You are welcome to register for either session or attend the full day.
This is a great opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the University who share an interest in health and health systems across different settings. Join us to connect and learn!
We welcome suggestions and ideas. Please get in touch if you have suggestions, proposed speakers, or are interested in presenting or simply to be added to the mailing list.
Looking forward to seeing you there,
Asri Maharani, Lecturer in Nursing, Division of Nursing Midwifery and Social Work, FBMH
Charlene Lo, PhD Student in Health Economics, Health Organisation Policy and Economics, FBMH
Jingwen Zhang, Lecturer in Sociology, Department of Sociology, FHum
Laura Anselmi, Senior Lecturer in Health Economics, Health Organisation Policy and Economics, FBMH
Sabah Boufkhed, Senior Lecturer in Global Health at the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute (HCRI), FHum
