The Surveillance Programme for Healthcare-Associated Infections in Catalonia (VINCat) is a unified monitoring system for infections linked to healthcare in Catalonia’s health centres, with the aim of reducing infection rates.

Dr Calbo takes on this position with a clear commitment to maintaining and improving the VINCat Programme. She highlights the immediate challenges of this new stage as “improving data management and recording, incorporating automated surveillance and even closer collaboration with Public Health”. She added, “In addition, we will focus on designing and implementing preventive strategies to improve health outcomes for patients cared for within our healthcare system.”

Dr Calbo underlined her intention to work closely with infection control teams and the programme’s working groups to consolidate and expand the achievements made to date.

For over two decades, VINCat has implemented infection prevention and control measures in over 200 health centres, monitored antibiotic consumption and contributed significantly to reducing hospital infection rates and bacterial resistance. 

The appointment of Dr Calbo, professor in the Department of Medicine at UIC Barcelona and head of the Infectious Diseases Service at MútuaTerrassa, reinforces UIC Barcelona's commitment to excellence in public health, patient safety and applied research.