Governor Andrew Cuomo said Wednesday that he will provide financial incentives to medical workers fighting Ebola in West African countries, which he called “ground zero” of the epidemic.

“I think we can get health care people to West Africa and still protect the public health here,” Cuomo said during a Sandy-related news conference on Staten Island. He said he is convening a “mini-conference” with hospitals in order to determine their needs.

The governor has come under fire since Friday when he and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced they would impose a mandatory 21-day quarantine for anyone returning from West Africa who may have been exposed to Ebola, regardless of whether they show symptoms. Critics said the new policy would deter aid workers from going to countries battling the virus and allow it to spread.

Cuomo did not specify what the financial incentives look like, but said they are “analogous to military reservists,” where workers are guaranteed benefits and job security when they come home.

Cuomo also did not elaborate on his plan to financially compensate workers for the 21 days they will spend in quarantine — a plan he announced Sunday night — and how he would handle those who are not employed by organizations that compensate their quarantined workers.

“We'll sit down with them and talk it through and find out what they normally make,” Cuomo said.