Sunday, October 10 marked the global day for mental health awareness that brings attention to mental illness and its effect on individual life, work, family and overall stability of communities and countries.
The celebration being championed in Ghana by BasicRights, an international non-governmental organisation is on the theme: "Mental health and chronic physical illnesses: the need for continued and integrated care."
A statement issued by Mr Badimak Peter Yaro of BasicRights Ghana at the weekend and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra said: "The day promotes more open discussion of mental disorders and investments in prevention and treatment services."
It said non-communicable/chronic/long-term diseases are now the leading cause of death worldwide.
"Today, there is an increased understanding of the relationship between chronic physical illnesses such as cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer and respiratory illnesses and mental illnesses.
"These four chronic physical illnesses, according to the World Health Organisation, accounts for 60 per cent of the world's deaths. 80 per cent of the deaths are happening in the poorest populations of the world.
"If nothing is done experts estimate that the world could witness another 388 million people dying prematurely within the next 10 years.
"Also a person with these illnesses has much higher rate of depression and anxiety than the general population," the statement said.
It said studies have shown that persons with severe or chronic physical illness often have a co-existing mental health problem, while those with severe mental illnesses or sub