Foreign affairs officials have confirmed that both the United States and the United Kingdom have asked Australia to send medical support teams to west Africa to help with the Ebola crisis.
The first request from the US government was made last month for an Australian liaison officer, but that has since been expanded to include health workers as well.
“It’s not been clear whether their request is for civilian or military – it sort of has covered both,” Blair Exell from the Department of Foreign Affairs told a Senate hearing.
He said Australian officials requested clarification but were “yet to get a clear answer”.
The United Kingdom has also asked Australia to provide support personnel to help deal with the Ebola crisis, in addition to funding.
Sierra Leone and Liberia have made direct requests to Australia for medical teams as well.
The Government has so far refused to send health workers to Africa, arguing that it would be unable to evacuate them if they became infected with the deadly virus
Government officials have been asking a number of countries if they would be willing to help treat Australian workers if they became infected with the deadly virus – including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Germany, and the European Commission.
No blanket guarantee has been offered, but the head of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Peter Varghese, indicated there had been positive talks in recent days.
“We have had indications that there might be access available, but the details of that access is something which we still have to work through,” he told the Senate committee.