The Federal Government is on Wednesday expected to announce plans to help Australian medical staff fight the Ebola virus in Africa.

The ABC has been told cabinet’s National Security Committee had decided to assist volunteers who want to travel to Ebola hotspots in Sierra Leone.

For weeks the government has refused to dispatch doctors or soldiers to west Africa unless it had “iron clad” commitments from other nations to evacuate medical staff who got infected with the deadly disease.

It is understood Australia has reached an agreement with the British government to treat Australian workers.

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Foreign Minister Julie Bishop is expected to make the announcement on Wednesday.

Any contribution from Australia, on top of funds already committed to the global effort against the virus, would be “prudent and proportionate”, a spokeswoman for Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

“In recent weeks, the Government has discussed the evolving situation, including measures to treat health workers, with our partners, in particular the United Kingdom and the United States,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Government is considering these discussions and how it might best contribute further to the response.”

The spokeswoman said Australia’s contribution would not involve the deployment of hundreds of Australians.

“Indeed, the Government will not direct Australians to deploy to the region,” she said.

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has welcomed the reports.

Over the weekend AMA president Brian Owler accused the Government of running out of excuses for not helping send medical personnel.

“There is no reason stopping the Australian Government from resourcing those volunteers to go, it’s only a matter of the willingness of the Australian Government to act,” Dr Owler said.

-ABC