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Since the country’s liberation in 1979 till the present, the Cambodian Malaria Program (CNM) has undergone many changes; from a state of complete disorganization to having an established structure with international recognition. In 2002, external aid to the CNM has been channeled through the Global Fund (GF), a novel funding agency established as a direct result of the global shift in thinking about the most appropriate funding model for public health in developing countries. With this reshuffle, the CNM has to follow the agenda of the international development agencies and has to embrace the strategy of elimination, even though it may not be in a position to deliver. This has given rise to a dilemma whether the development goal of the CNM should be defined by the country itself or by a program designed by outsiders. The paper describes the evolution of the CNM and it discusses the conflicting roles of three international development agencies attempting to emancipate Cambodians from the scourge of malaria and the structural impairment of the Cambodian government. The paper argues that the Cambodian government manipulates development aid and its citizens in the interest of maintaining the current political patronage. It further argues that international aid on Malaria is doing more harm than good to Cambodia development in the sense that it reinforces and maintains the current political patronage and suppresses social movement.
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