Estimating an exact statistic for children with mental and physical disabilities in Haiti is difficult. Typically, children with mental illnesses are considered shameful by their own families, and are perceived to have been punished for not honoring the Haitian protective spirits. Those individuals that receive care, do so at home and are usually hidden from society. Across the globe, hundreds of millions of families in developing countries struggle with disabilities. According to disabled-world, currently around 10% of the world's total population, or roughly 650 million people, live with a disability and, according to the UNDP, 80% of persons with disabilities live in developing countries.
It is reported by Global Giving that 1 in 10 people are disabled in Haiti and those with such special needs are treated appallingly. WHO data gathered from the various hospitals, reveals the following distribution of diagnosis--schizophrenia (50%), bipolar disorder with mania (30%), other psychoses (15%) and epilepsy (5%).
While information about the number of persons with disabilities is scarce at the national level, the Office of the Secretary of State for the Integration of Handicapped Persons (BSEIPH), estimates that 10 percent of citizens are disabled. International and local NGOs continued to be the primary channels through which assistance is provided to those suffering from disabilities, and the greatest challenge is the lack of adequate access to quality medical care.. Hospitals and clinics in Port-au-Prince do not have sufficient space, human resources or public funds for treatment, and conditions within many facilities are below the international standard.