The recent Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa occurred in three of the poorest and least resourced countries in the world. And as Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia all struggled with the epidemic, it was clear a global response was needed to contain the disease.

But the response, led by the World Health Organization, has been widely criticised for being too slow and inadequate, and sitrep.ebola-summary-latest?lang=en">over 11,000 people have died from the epidemic.

While there is relief that the outbreak now seems contained, how will the world respond to the next global health crisis?

William Isdale spoke with Lawrence Gostin about the lessons we can learn from the Ebola epidemic and the future of global health.

This interview was made by possible by the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at the Queensland University of Technology. Professor Gostin was in Brisbane as a guest of the Centre.

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Music: Free Music Archive/Kai Engel - The Scope

Additional audio: ABS News (US), BBC News, CNN, ABC News (Australia)

William Isdale does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.