World Malaria Day: Remembering Jonathan - in pictures

Jonathan being carried out by a health worker with his father Dimanche in the background. Merlin’s mobile medical teams found five-year-old Jonathan Yala on a rusting steel bed in a remote health post in rural CAR. He’d been ill for nearly two weeks, his body weakened by a cough so severe, it had been making him vomit for the past three days. The head health worker at Jonathan’s local clinic has no formal qualifications. On the advice of Merlin staff, he agreed that Jonathan needed urgent referral and hurried the little boy to a waiting car Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Health worker Arsène in front of the clinic. Jonathan was taken to Ndomete health centre, nearly 50km from his village. Of the ten staff at Ndomete, Arsène, a trained Nurse Assistant, is the only qualified health worker. Arsene and his team treat up to 100 patients a day. Arsène’s salary, less than £30 a month, hasn’t been paid by the Ministry of Health for more than six months Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan with thermometer under his arm. When Jonathan arrived at Ndomete health centre, he had a 40 degree fever. He was severely dehydrated, had swollen organs and was slipping in and out of consciousness Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan’s mother being weighed. Arsène immediately tested Jonathan for malaria using a paracheck. It can diagnose the disease within 15 minutes. Jonathan’s test was positive. A patient’s weight dictates the dosage of anti-malarial treatment needed. Jonathan was too weak to stand on the scales so his mother, Sophia, held him and then her weight was deducted Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan’s mother through an open doorway. Many parents travel for miles on foot to reach this health centre, carrying their sick children in their arms. Like Sophia, they often arrive without food or money and are entirely reliant on the generosity of local villagers. Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan’s body is carried home. Jonathan died in the early hours of the next morning. As the car carrying Jonathan’s body made the 50km journey back to Mbiti, people lined the roadside to pay their respects. Jonathan’s death was allowed to be mourned, and his short life celebrated, by the village which helped raise him Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan’s body laid out. Jonathan was buried less than 200 yards from his home. A field near Ndomete health centre marks the burial ground for hundreds of children who lose their lives. Many do not belong there but bereaved parents simply cannot face the long walk home, carrying their dead children in their arms Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin

Jonathan’s funeral. Jonathan’s mother (front right) leads a delegation of family and friends to Jonathan’s burial, the grave dug by Jonathan’s father Dimanche. Jonathan Yala did not die from a lack of equipment or medicine. He died because there was no one with the vital skills needed to diagnose and treat his illness in time. Photograph: Frederic Courbet/Panos/Merlin