Cambodia’s Victim Zero: Global and National
Responses to Highly Pathogenic Avian
Influenza Sophal Ear, PhD

Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Timeline—
Moments
III. Policy Narratives
IV. Understanding the
Political Economy
of the Policy
Process
V. Conclusion

I. Intro: Cambodia’s response to
global public health crisis

Intro: Global response’s affect on
Cambodia

Awash in donor money, Cambodia
played its role on a global policy stage

Goal: reduce pandemic potential that
could strike donor countries themselves

A Few Words on Methodology
• Qualitative research methodology
• 40+ one-on-one semi-structured interviews
across gov’t, private sector, & NGOs
• Web survey launched on 27 May 2008
– 44 visits
– 17 responses

II. Timeline—Context
• Political Structure and Modern History
• Aid Dependence and Tourism
• The Livestock Sector and Poultry in
Particular
Human Pandemic Flu Timeline
Asian flu H2N2 Russian H1N1 H9N2 H5N1
Spanish (H1N1) HK flu H3N2 HPAI H5N1 H7N2 H7N3 H10N7

Timeline—Moments
• Start: SARS (2002), A Wake-up Call;
Enter HPAI (2004)
• Middle: HPAI Control Activities; From
Animal to Human Health

Emerging or Reemerging Disease
Threat Since 1990

Enter Super Moan &
Pandemic Preparedness

Timeline—Moments: Last Act

III. Policy Narratives
• Narrative 1: Cull without Compensation
• Narrative 2: It’s Health Now!
• Narrative 3: What about Poverty and
Livelihoods?

Cull without Compensation

It’s Health Now!

Poverty and Livelihoods

Actors, Networks, and Interests
6
5
4
3
2
1
Adapted from data originating from Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Funding Matrix Cambodia 2008-2009, see Table 1.5 in Annex 1.

Network diagram on the relationship
between donors and the government

―With respect to Avian Influenza, the Royal Government
of Cambodia has intervened effectively and
appropriately, given resource allocations.‖
Strongly Strongly
Agree Neutral Disagree N/A
Agree Disagree
(a) Among humans: 6% 50% 25% 6% 0% 13%
1 8 4 1 0 2
(b) Among animals: 7% 47% 40% 0% 0% 7%
1 7 6 0 0 1
(c) Protecting livelihoods: 8% 25% 25% 17% 0% 25%
1 3 3 2 0 3
(d) Pandemic preparation: 13% 47% 13% 13% 0% 13%
2 7 2 2 0 2
(e) Other 17% 0% 0% 0% 0% 83%
1 0 0 0 0 5

―With respect to Avian Influenza, Donors (including all
non-Royal Government of Cambodia entities whether
local or international) have intervened effectively and
appropriately, given resource allocations.‖
Strongly Strongly
Agree Neutral Disagree N/A
Agree Disagree
(a) Among humans: 18% 59% 12% 0% 0% 12%
3 10 2 0 0 2
(b) Among animals: 7% 60% 33% 0% 0% 0%
1 9 5 0 0 0
(c) Protecting livelihoods: 0% 38% 31% 15% 0% 15%
0 5 4 2 0 2
(d) Pandemic preparation: 7% 36% 29% 7% 0% 21%
1 5 4 1 0 3
(e) Other 0% 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
0 0 0 0 0 0

IV. Understanding the Political
Economy of the Policy Process
• Donors and NGOs
• Beyond Aid: Other Sources of Revenue
and the Importance of Tourism
– Bureaucratic Politics and Patronage
• Media Spin

Cambodia’s AI & Pandemic
Preparedness Pie (2008-2009)
Animal health
$2,077,861 , (9%)
Human health
$8,944,457 , (40%)
$5,031,076 , (23%)
Information,
education,
communication
(IEC)
Pandemic
preparedness
$6,198,512 , (28%)
Source: Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Funding Matrix Cambodia 2008-2009, see Table 1.5 in Annex 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeL3pM8L8DA
16 minute video
Available in two parts on
YouTube under the title:
Cambodia: THE BIRD FLU
\"PANDEMIC\" HOAX!

V. Conclusion: Key challenges,
obstacles and opportunities
• Don’t Forget Livelihoods!
– Government and Donors motivated by other
concerns
• Revisiting Compensation
– Tremendous confusion about its use and
effectiveness elsewhere

Conclusion (cont’d)
• Increase credibility of MAFF as partner by
building its technical capacity & financial
management
• Ultimate responsibility for success or
failure of policies must rest with those in
charge—authorities themselves