Most cost-effective way 'to control our health is control health of those around us', say tropical disease experts in the BMJ

Leading tropical disease experts have called on the government to free up NHS staff to help fight Ebola, which is continuing to spread across west Africa.

Prof David Moore, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and two of his senior colleagues say it is incumbent on the UK to share the burden that is crippling the already weak health systems in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea – the three countries worst affected by the deadly virus.

"We believe that in order to support the UK's response, the NHS must allow staff temporary leave of absence from their post to contribute to the global response.

"Consultant physicians, specialty trainees, and specialist nurses in specialties including infectious diseases, microbiology, virology, public health, intensive care and infection control are well placed to offer assistance and should be supported," Moore said in a letter to the BMJ. It is co-signed by Catherine Houlihan, a senior research fellow and Dr Ron Behrens, a clinician at the college.

They said they had anecdotal evidence of NHS doctors, nurses and other health professionals who had been refused unpaid leave or permission to go to west Africa in holiday time.

"We really have to think much bigger than the day to day. The best way to control our health is control the health of those around us. Studies have proven that. In the US, cost-benefit analyses showed that the best way to control TB was to assist the South American countries in controlling TB," said Behrens. "It is much more cost effective.

"We are a global community and as a society we depend on others. We have to take global support more seriously," he said.

Their intervention comes two days after the first British patient, Will Pooley, was declared completely clear of the disease after being treated at the Royal Free hospital in north London.

He said organisations such as the World Health Organisation and the King's Health Partners, which had volunteers in Sierra Leone, were all "desperate" to get skilled staff there.

NHS staff are trained in both risk assessment and use of personal protective equipment but they also have specialisms critical to the fight against the spread of Ebola including expertise in virology, microbiology and infection control.

"Their experience and new skills would enhance the NHS pool of expertise for similar events in the future," they said in their letter.

• This article was amended on 5 September 2014. An earlier version referred to the Lancet where the BMJ was meant, and misspelled Moore as Moor in the first instance. It was further amended on 11 September 2014 to correct a reference to the King's Fund. It is the King's Health Partners which has volunteers in Sierra Leone.