Rio de Janeiro Advances Bill for Preventive Diabetic Foot Care in Public Health System

The Rio de Janeiro State Assembly is reviewing Project Bill 7.704/26, which would add preventive podiatry services to the public health network for diabetics. The amendment targets more than 1.3 million people with diabetes in the state, aiming to detect foot lesions early, reduce ulcers, infections and avoid avoidable amputations.

If approved by the Constitution and Justice Committee and passed to a plenary vote, the measure would modify Law 6.751/14 – the Fluminense Program for Diabetic Foot Health – to make regular foot examinations, preventive treatment of calluses and nail issues, and specialist referrals part of primary‑care services. It also foresees training for health professionals, partnerships with universities and research institutes, and the use of basic health units, family clinics and state ambulatories.

Supporters cite the potential to lower the roughly R$ 19 billion annual cost of diabetes care in Rio, shared by federal, state and municipal budgets, while improving quality of life for patients.