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

Spanish (H1N1) HK flu H3N2 HPAI H5N1 H7N2 H7N3 H10N7

Asian flu H2N2 Russian H1N1 H9N2 H5N1

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

Adapted from data originating from Avian Influenza and Pandemic Preparedness Funding Matrix Cambodia 2008-2009, see Table 1.5 in Annex 1.

6

5

4

3

2

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

Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Disagree

N/A

(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

Agree

Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly

Disagree

N/A

(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)

$8,944,457 , (40%)

$6,198,512 , (28%)

$5,031,076 , (23%)

$2,077,861 , (9%)

Animal health

Human health

Information,

education,

communication

(IEC)

Pandemic

preparedness

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