Figure. In Cambodia illness affects all members of the family. This patient has AIDS and his spouse and children must travel long distances at a high cost to reach the few secondary care centres in the bigger cities. An unknown number of people with HIV infection do not seek care beyond that available in their own villages and die at home. Social security as it is known in Western countries does not exist in Cambodia. One hopes that when this father dies, relatives and nongovernmental agencies will assist his wife and children, but they will also have to seek some kind of work including prostitution or begging.