Kirti Narsai

Principal Researcher

Kirti Narsai has over 26 years’ experience in the healthcare industry with experience across pharmaceuticals, medical devices and consumer products. She has held board positions in several large organisations with Pan African interests and has participated in several strategic initiatives in Africa, including the African Regional Business Network (WEF Africa), Health/Medical Devices Master plan in South Africa, Market Design & Demand Intelligence work stream of the Partnership for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM) and regulatory harmonisation in the SADC region. Kirti currently runs her own consultancy, HealthValue Consulting (Pty) Ltd, which focuses on providing advisory services to the healthcare sector evolving health and trade policy issues in Africa. She also holds a part time position as Principal Researcher at the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance leading research on establishment and growth of regional healthcare value chains through focus on local manufacturing capabilities under the AfCFTA. She is currently completing her PhD in Pharmaceutical Policy at the Utrecht University, Netherlands. Kirti has published several research articles and Op-Eds and is a regular speaker at conferences and webinars on topics related to health policy and trade. During her spare time, she volunteers as a mentor for the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and the Pan African Women in Health (PAWH). Prior to this, she served as Senior Director, Government Affairs & Policy at Johnson & Johnson.

Research Interests: Health policy in Africa; local manufacturing of health products; health systems strengthening;  regulatory harmonisation for the regulation of healthcare products in Africa; trade in healthcare sector; the AfCFTA – establishment and growth of regional value chains in the healthcare sector.

 Journal Articles

  • Labelling of medicines in SADC member states: comparative analysis of regulatory requirements and readiness to transition to regional harmonised labelling requirements
  • Linking market authorizations of medicines with disease burden in South Africa | Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy & Practice 2021
  • Ethical pharmaceutical promotion and communications worldwide: codes and regulations Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine 2014

 Research Report

 Op-Eds