The government has announced an extra €1m to aid the international response to Ebola.

The funding is being provided to the new UN Mission for Emergency Ebola Response, which is coordinating the international response to the crisis.

Today’s announcement brings the total of Irish aid for Ebola to over €4m.

The money will help support the provisions of treatment facilities for Ebola patients and fund campaigns to raise awareness among communities in the affected areas about the best methods for avoiding transmission of the disease.

Latest figures from the World Health Organisation show that almost 14,000 people have contracted, or are suspected of having contracted, the disease, which has killed 5,000 people in west Africa.

Announcing the funding, Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said the international community must “work urgently ... to support the worst-affected countries to bring the disease under control.”

“That is why the Government is channeling this funding of €1 million through UNMEER (UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response),” Mr Flanagan said.

Ireland annually provides roughly €16m to countries in the west African region, including €10m to Sierra Leone and Liberia. The current funding goes to programmes focused on improving the health systems in the two countries. Of the funding already in place, anything in non-essential areas outside of healthcare has been re-directed to help tackle Ebola.

“Our programmes in Sierra Leone and Liberia are very focused on strengthening both countries’ health systems, which were already very weak, but have now been overwhelmed ... Our funding to date has provided desperately-needed beds, ambulance services, vital nutrition for children, blankets, medical training and public awareness campaigns,” Mr Flanagan said.

Last month, Minister of State Seán Sherlock visited Sierra Leone to witness firsthand the extent of the crisis: “Having seen the devastation which Ebola is wreaking, it was clear to me that a stronger international response was needed.

“While in Freetown I met with Anthony Banbury, Secretary General Ban’s Special Representative and Head of UNMEER It is clear that stopping the spread of Ebola requires a comprehensive and coordinated response from the international community.

"The UN is leading this effort through the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, which is the first-ever UN Emergency Health Mission created by the United Nations.

“The Ebola Trust Fund has the capacity to quickly disburse funds to maximum effect. Ireland will continue to work closely with the UN, the EU, NGOs and other international partners to in our collective effort to deal effectively with this crisis,” Mr Sherlock said.