By AMY STOCKWELL
Over the past week a political debate has broken out about whether Australia is doing its fair share to prevent the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.
Ebola has now infected 9000 people and killed more than 4500 people, mostly in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.
The United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that the number of Ebola cases in Sierra Leone and Liberia is doubling every 20 days, and by January could reach 1.4 million cases on present trends.
The world has a deadline of the next 60 days in which to effectively tackle this problem, the UN and WHO have said.
So why should Australia send help to West Africa?
An Ebola victim.
1. We have the expertise.
So far, Australia has committed $18M to tackle the spread of Ebola in West Africa. They have yet to commit any personnel or any other practical or logistical support.
Australia is home to some of the world’s best-trained health-care workers and medical scientists, so you might expect the Australian Government to be sending teams of highly qualified people to help – but, so far, the Government has been reluctant to commit.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has said: “We aren’t going to send Australian doctors and nurses into harm’s way without being absolutely confident that all of the risks are being properly managed, and at the moment, we cannot be confident that that is the case.”
Top Comments
Tanya, why don't you and Sarah Sea-Patrol form an advance party, just to check things out.
My thoughts exactly. And I don't think it is correct to say we have the expertise.
I watched an interview on TV the other and I think he have even been a doctor with AUSMAT. He agreed with Tony Abbott that a solid evacuation plan for infected Australian workers had to be in place before sending any more health care professionals. Australians would need to be sent to a European country for treatment as the aeroplane trip back to .Australia is over 30 hours, requiring a change of air crew personnel and refuelling stops. The doctor interviewed also said that if a patient's condition deteriorated on the plane they would die as the specialist equipment and care would be unavailable. Having been trained in aeromedical evacuations (albeit quite a while ago), there are restrictions on various procedures due to the presssurization. Kudos to those people who volunteer to go and help. However, I wish there was a more strictly enforced quarantine period upon their return. Going out shopping, riding the subway, going 10 pin bowling (as in the case of the American doctor diagnosed with Ebola yesterday) is reckless and irresponsible to the wider community.
But what European country is going to agree to prioritise Australian health workers over West African health workers? That would be appalling racism, and no country would allow it, surely. We certainly aren't seeing West African health workers being medi-vac'ed to the UK, USA, Germany or France!
I agree with you. Those who go there to help and then return without thinking of the wider community are completely selfish IMO!
But where do Australian health care workers who get infected with Ebola whilst working in Africa get treated?
That's the point, Susie.