Lula Inaugurates 24-Hour Emergency Center at Rio's Cardoso Fontes Hospital

Overview

• President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva opened the new emergency center in Jacarepaguá alongside Health Minister Alexandre Padilha and Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes.
• Hospital management shifted to the city under a technical cooperation agreement signed in December 2024 with the Health Ministry.
• Federal support includes a reported R$114.4 million for modernization, an additional R$150 million transferred to the municipality and R$610 million per year from the Teto MAC for ongoing care.
• Upgrades reopened 40 beds, reactivated a 10‑bed pediatric ICU, expanded operating rooms, increased staffing by 57% and equipped the 24/7 unit with eight consult rooms, six triage areas and broader diagnostic exams.
• The Health Ministry reports 2025 gains of 70% in surgeries, 75.1% in admissions and 90.8% in emergency visits with 98% bed occupancy, as Lula criticized past political use of federal hospitals.