(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
Prime Minister Tony Abbott says the government will commit more than $20 million to allow Australian volunteer medical workers to work in a British field hospital in Ebola affected parts of west Africa.
The World Health Organisation says it needs more than 50 field hospitals across the three main countries - Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia - but so far has only 30.
Mr Abbott says Australia has struck a deal with Britain to treat Australians who become infected with the deadly virus.
The government says the plan will help around 200 medical volunteers to work in Sierra Leone under the umbrella of a private company.
Amanda Cavill reports.
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The mission follows a deal between the governments of Australia, Britain and private healthcare provider Aspen Medical to manage services in a 100-bed British military field hospital in Sierra Leone.
Britain has agreed to treat any Australian volunteers if they contract Ebola.
There is also provision for access to treatment in Germany under a British arrangement.
Up until now federal government has refused to send health workers to Ebola-affected areas, arguing there was no way to get them home safely if they caught the virus.
The Prime Minister says Aspen Medical will decide who will staff the hospital.
He says it will also be up to the company to ensure that none of the workers return to Australia with the disease.
"It's likely that there will be some volunteers involved. They will, of course, be paid. They will be volunteering to do the job, but while they are doing the job they'll be paid. Whether it's a very small number, or a somewhat larger number, that's a matter for Aspen. One of the important things, though, is that Aspen will be required to ensure that any Australians who are involved in treating the Ebola victims in West Africa do serve a quarantine period in country before coming back to Australia."
Mr Abbott says Australia is also ramping up its domestic preparedness, including extra screening at airports of people arriving from West Africa.
Mr Abbott says the last thing anyone would want is to have personnel going to Africa and return carrying the disease.
The opposition has been arguing that the best way to fight Ebola is at its source in West Africa.
Australia was one of 130 countries to co-sponsor a United Nations Security Council resolution in mid-September calling on all countries to send aid and medical personnel to assist in West Africa.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says the announcement is welcome, but overdue.
"There are many Australians who wish to volunteer to use their skills, committed and capable doctors and nurses who wish to help in the fight against Ebola - fight against Ebola. However, we believe that the Government, whilst this is a welcome, overdue step, has not gone as far as it should to help tackle the scourge at the source. It is long overdue for the Government to ensure it can put in place propositions which will allow our skilled and capable volunteers to be able to assist defeat this deadly disease at the source."
Mr Shorten has also warned that the 240 or so staff that are required to run the medical centre may all be engaged overseas.
He says it's possible that no Australians will actually be involved in providing those vital services and is urging Mr Abbott to make sure Australian volunteers are chosen.
The Australian Medical Association says many doctors are willing and as many as 350 Australian nurses have volunteered to treat patients in West Africa.
Australian Medical Association Head Brian Owler says he's hopeful that Australian health workers will be involved.
"We need to see, to put the call out and see how many people are willing to go and do this work, there will be quite a number and already we've had a survey of course by the nurses that have talked about 350 nurses in their relatively small survey that are interested in doing this work. That question is yet to be answered but at least now I'm hoping with the announcement we'll have the opportunity to start to allow people to go and do this very important but dangerous work. "
$2 million will also be devoted to enhancing regional preparedness for Ebola, by providing training for countries such as East Timor and Papua New Guinea.
A further $2 million will go to Australian logisticians working with UN agencies such as the World Health Organisation in West Africa.
