World Mental Health Day | Western Cape Government

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World Mental Health Day

8 October 2009
Tomorrow, 10 October 2009 is World Mental Health Day.

The Western Cape Department of Health's Associated Psychiatric Hospitals (APH), in association with the Departments of Psychiatry of the University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University, the Mental Health programme and the South African Museums, hosted a Mental Health Update today at the Iziko Museum, Cape Town.

In terms of population health, mental illness results in significantly greater disability than most physical illness and as such accounts for a large proportion of the Burden of Disease.

According to the World Health organisation, 25% of people will develop a mental or behavioural disorder in their life-time and 10% of the adult population worldwide will have a mental disorder at any given point in time. In the Western Cape Province, more than 22% of all disability has an emotional or cognitive origin (Statistics South Africa 2001).

This annual Mental Health Update showcases the work of local clinicians under the auspices of the APH College and Hospitals. It was attended by clinicians from all professional groups across the service platform. The programme is registered with the Colleges of Medicine for Continuing Professional Development points.

For more information please contact:
Directorate: Communications for the Western Cape Department of Health
Sithembiso Magubane
Cell: 073 662 5482

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