One of the world’s leading health economists will visit the University of Essex in February to talk about the impact of the financial crisis and the potential for microfinance to tackle healthcare inequalities.

Professor Cam Donaldson, Yunus Chair in Social Business and Health at Glasgow Caledonian University, will be keynote speaker at the University’s first-ever Interdisciplinary Seminar in Social and Environmental Justice on Wednesday 16 February.

The free seminar Markets and Health in the Home of Smith and Yunus is open to the public and will be chaired by Vice Chancellor Professor Colin Riordan. The event will discuss the banking crisis in relation to health and healthcare in the light of the work of the father of modern economics Adam Smith and microfinance pioneer and Grameen Bank founder Muhammad Yunus.

As part of the seminar Professor Donaldson will also look into the potential impact of microfinance on healthcare inequality in disadvantaged areas –particularly through the newly soon-to-be-established microfinance scheme Grameen Scotland.

As Yunus Chair Professor Donaldson leads a unique research programme which is evaluating the impact of social business creation on the lives and health of disadvantaged communities in Glasgow and overseas.

He said: “Adam Smith, in his seminal work The Wealth of Nations, described the positive impacts of commerce on prosperity and well-being.

"With the advent of the credit crunch it is particularly appropriate that we are looking at new ways of working in partnership to achieve redistribution of wealth in order to tackle stubborn and longstanding health problems in disadvantaged communities."

The seminar is part of a new initiative supported by the Faculty of Law and Management and the Faculty of Science and Engineering to encourage the sharing of research problems, best practice and interdisciplinary approaches.

The event in Lecture Hall Four of the Lecture Theatre Building on Colchester Campus will start at 4pm and there will be a live video link with Room 2.76 at the Southend Campus.

To book tickets go to: http://issej2011essex.eventbrite.com/

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For more information please contact the University of Essex Communications Office on 01206 874377.