In November 2022, the Brazilian Senate unanimously voted to pass a National Law of Care for those living with dementia, this was monumental step which brought the country closer to developing and adopting a National Dementia Plan. A joint letter by ADI and Federação Brasileira das Associações de Alzheimer (FEBRAZ) was sent to all members of the Senate ahead of the meeting, with its contents forming part of the debate.
27 October 2023, a significant public hearing was held in the Brazilian Federal Senate by the Human Rights Commission to debate public policies for the care of people living with dementia. Chaired by dementia advocate Senator Paulo Paim, the hearing welcomed ADI CEO Paola Barbarino, who spoke on the global impact of dementia and stressed the importance of a National Dementia Plan for Brazil. Barbarino highlighted the estimated 1.8 million people currently living with dementia in Brazil, a figure projected to rise to 5.6 million by 2050.
Elaine Mateus, President of the Brazilian Federation of Alzheimer’s Associations (Febraz), also participated in the sessions, reiterating calls for a National Dementia Plan and additional support for those living with dementia and their carers in the country.
Following Paola’s address to the Brazilian Federal Senate, ADI reported an exciting step forward in Brazil’s journey towards a National Dementia Plan. A newly approved bill had passed from the Constitution, Justice, and Citizenship Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to the House, supported by Deputy Laura Carneiro.
Ahead of our 2024 Global Conference, ADI then received exciting news from the Latin America region, with the Brazilian National Dementia Plan due to be voted on in the next session of the Chamber of Deputies. The bill passed in the following days, with the President of Brazil approving the National Dementia Plan .
In June 2024, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva signed Bill No. 4,364 of 2020, establishing Brazil’s National Policy for Comprehensive Care for People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias. This legislation creates government guidelines for training public and private health professionals to identify signs of dementia and aims to improve the quality of life for those living with the condition and their caregivers.
The new law establishes guidelines for the training of public and private health professionals in the prevention and early identification of dementia signs and symptoms, and the integration of existing health services.
ADI extends its gratitude to President Lula for signing the National Dementia Plan into law
and our warmest congratulations to Elaine Mateus, Diego Aguilar and ADI’s Brazilian member association Federação Brasileira das Associações de Alzheimer for all of their tireless work in making Brazil’s National Dementia Plan a reality, improving the lives of those living with dementia, and their carers in the country.
For more information about this latest development in Brazil’s National Dementia Plan, visit ADI member association FEBRAZ’s website.
This legislation coincides with Brazil’s hosting of G20 in 2024, ADI welcomes this timely alignment and looks forward to seeing Brazil begin the process of moving from developing the plan, to implementation. Next month, in July 2024, Diego Aguilar will continue ADI’s ongoing work in Brazil by attending the upcoming C20 steering committee in Rio de Janeiro.