The Battle for Beds before Health: Unpacking the Crisis of Healthcare in Ghana's Low-Income Communities.

Disparities in health services remain one of the pressing issues engaging the attention of many stakeholders. Although this issue is more prevalent in developing countries, the impact of limited hospital beds on healthcare for residents in informal communities remains largely unexplored. This study aims to examine this phenomenon. Within the framework of structural violence and health systems resilience, the study employed a triangulation approach, combining newspaper publications, reconnaissance, and in-depth interviews, all centered on a qualitative approach to inform the conclusions reached. Results show that the lack of hospital beds led to delayed access to emergency care, financial exploitation, and preventable deaths. It further indicates that residents perceive the phenomenon as a discriminatory, unjust health system and a loss of confidence in health governance. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of strengthening health governance equitably to enhance public trust in the healthcare system. It supports the Ministry of Health and Ghana Health Service in developing policies and strategies that enhance health governance, focusing on the low-income population. The findings fill the gaps in the context of the ignored voices of informal residents in a developing country, Ghana.