The Dream Centre, KwaZulu-Natal`s first palliative (symptom relief) HIV/AIDS centre in Pinetown, has slashed its telephone bill by more than R6 000 a month following the replacement of an ageing PABX system with a modern digital solution.
Valued at R50 000, the SOPHO IPK Voice Server was jointly donated by GijimaAst, a South African information and communications technology (ICT) company and its supplier Philips in the Netherlands.
The funds that the centre is saving will go towards the purchase of a new utility vehicle and contribute towards the salary of badly needed nursing staff.
In thanking Karien Ciggaar from Philips and Eugene Petzer from GijimaAst, Les Harris, MD of the Dream Centre, said that until recently the centre`s communication bill was often as high as R10 000 a month and seldom lower than R8 000.
"We realised we needed to replace the existing PBX which was open to abuse, but it was never enough to meet the quotes we had been given. The donation is highly appreciated not just because we are saving money, but we can manage and control our communications," said Harris. This was accomplished by the utilisation of the VISIMAN Telephone Management Software donated by Visual Systems Architects, a local software development house.
The telephone bill has dropped from between R9 000 and R10 000 a month down to under R3 000 a month.
A further benefit is the digital enhanced cordless telephony (DECT) that is included with the new system. It allows mobile personnel to be connected at all times even when they are in the lifts via the strategically positioned base stations in the six-storey building.
The Dream Centre, which is situated in what was once the Morton Hall old age home, helps and assists patients infected with and affected by the HIV/AIDS virus. It currently accommodates 119 patients and employs 94 staff.
It was opened in 2002 with provision for 20 patients. As the AIDS pandemic in KZN worsened, bed capacity was increased. Harris said bed capacity would be increased to 240 patients by May depending on funds.
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