When extractive finance reaches the hospital ward: Webinar

Patterns of financialisation and impacts of corporatisation of healthcare – An Indian case study with global dimensions

Do join the webinar on 30th January 2026 during 12 to 2 pm UTC by registering here – https://unu-edu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_R16pJnhiQ72hB_FCw7SvYw 

What happens when profit-driven transnational financial investors enter into poorly regulated healthcare systems in LMICs like India? How are hospital chains, laboratories and other healthcare providers affected when they are bought up by private financial investors? What do the accompanying patterns of oligopolistic healthcare corporatisation look like? What are the impacts on management and doctors, frontline healthcare professionals in hospitals?

Two recently completed papers on financialisation and corporatisation of healthcare in India (supported by UNU-IIGH) will be presented during this webinar. One paper traces the patterns and trends of financial investments in India, tendencies towards monopolisation and corporate incomes, while examining case studies of selected healthcare corporates, and the role of Development Financing Institutions (DFIs) in this process. The second paper is based on testimonies of doctors and healthcare professionals with experience of working in corporate hospitals. They bear witness to the wide-reaching changes in hospital management practices as well as clinical practice.

In this webinar, the researchers of the two papers mentioned above will present key findings. This will be followed by reflections on healthcare financialisation from a global viewpoint, and from the vantage point of Brazil and Latin America. This will be followed by open discussion and inputs from participants, with a view to deepening understanding of the phenomena of financialisation and corporatisation of healthcare.

This webinar is being jointly organised by UNU-IIGH and the People’s Health Movement.

Speakers and moderators will include-

Abhay Shukla · Anand Zachariah · Indira Chakravarthi · Satyaki Roy · David McCoy · Leonardo Mattos

Anand Zachariah - Professor, Christian Medical College - Vellore, India

Indira Chakravarthi – Independent public health researcher and visiting faculty, Ambedkar University, India

Satyaki Roy, Associate Professor, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi

David McCoy - Policy Research Lead, UNU-International Institute for Global Health

Leonardo Mattos – Professor, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil and People’s Health Movement, Brazil

Abhay Shukla – Public health researcher and Co-convenor, People’s Health Movement, India