The Irish aid agency, GOAL, has launched an emergency recruitment drive for doctors and nurses, to help stop the spread of Ebola in West Africa.

The agency said it urgently needs doctors and public health nurses to join it for a six-month assignment in Africa to help stop the spread of the virus, which has already infected almost 6,000 people, and killed over 2,800.

GOAL is calling on doctors and nurses in Ireland to help staff Ebola treatment units in Liberia, where the US government is planning to build 17 healthcare facilities and train some 500 medical staff in an increased attempt to contain the spread of the virus.

Liberia has been the worst hit region in Africa so far, with over 3,000 cases and 1,500 deaths.

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness. It is initially transmitted to humans from wild animals, but human-to-human transmission can then occur as a result of direct contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, or indirect contact with environments that have been contaminated with these fluids.

Symptoms include the sudden onset of fever, headache, sore throat, muscle pain and weakness. This is then followed by diarrhoea, vomiting, rash and impaired liver and kidney function. Internal and external bleeding, including bleeding from the eyes, can also occur.

Those affected require intensive care and there is currently no treatment or vaccine available. Where an outbreak occurs, the case fatality rate can reach 90%.

According to GOAL CEO, Barry Andrews, Ireland must consider developing a national response plan for this crisis that includes experienced Irish healthcare professionals and experts from the Irish military.

"While funding is a major issue, deploying skilled health and logistics staff from our own health and military system is one way for Ireland to assist in the fight against Ebola and support these governments and communities to avoid the utter devastation predicted in the months to come," he commented.

He pointed to a recent report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which stated that in a worst case scenario, if the disease continues on its current trajectory, 1.4 million people will have been infected in Liberia and Sierra Leone by next January 20.

Any interested healthcare professionals can find more information on GOAL's website here