Under Global Fund grant, Save the Children in Nepal formally handed over the Provincial Public Health Laboratory (PPHL) in Butwal, Rupandehi, to the Lumbini provincial government. The Province Public Health Laboratory worth NPR. 87,020,470 was jointly handed over to Hon. Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary by Stefan Stojanovik, Sr. Portfolio Manager of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, and Heather Campbell, Country Director of Save the Children – Nepal and Bhutan Country Office.

The newly constructed PPHL facility is equipped to provide a diverse range of laboratory services, from advanced microbiological and immunological tests to specialized pathological and molecular analyses for infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and TB.

Speaking at the event, Hon. Chief Minister of Lumbini Province, Dilli Bahadur Chaudhary, said, "It is now our collective duty, including provincial and local governments, not only to maintain the quality and credibility of the laboratory services, but also to develop it into a resource center that can cater to the healthcare needs across the province and beyond." He further expressed, "Taking responsibility for this crucial health facility, I express the commitment of the Lumbini Province Government to allocate funds to ensure the sustainability of quality lab services here."

During the handover event, Heather Campbell, Country Director of Save the Children – Nepal and Bhutan Office stated: “With the handover of the PPHL building to the Lumbini Province government, we would like to reaffirm our unflagging support and commitment to working together with the government of Nepal to reduce inequality in health services through accessible, quality and timely health services for the communities that we serve, and work with and for.”

Stefan Stojanovik, Sr. Portfolio Manager of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, expressed, "This PPHL facility will play a pivotal role as another cornerstone of the healthcare system in this country." He further stated, "We eagerly look forward to collaborating with the central, provincial, and district health authorities of Nepal to advance healthcare initiatives."

The PPHL aims to bolster the healthcare infrastructure and ensure timely and accurate diagnosis and treatment of various ailments. Furthermore, the PPHL aspires to actively support provincial and local governments in regulating all health laboratories operating in Lumbini Province. Moreover, through capacity-strengthening initiatives, the PPHL will empower laboratory health workers, offer technical support to laboratories, maintain stringent quality standards, and provide laboratory services to the public at minimal costs.