By Eman D. Pangcatan
MSU Intern

DESPITE the sweltering midday heat, dozens of people continue to line up and gather outside the Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) each day, raising questions from passersby and observers: Why are so many waiting outside instead of being inside?

Located in front of Gaisano City along Claro M. Recto Avenue, NMMC is one of the busiest public hospitals in the region. The reason for the daily crowd, hospital staff and health advocates say, is a complex mix of high patient volume, limited capacity, and lack of proper waiting facilities.

NMMC, the region’s primary government referral hospital, receives patients from all over Northern Mindanao — including Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, and Iligan City. As the only Level III government hospital in the region, NMMC often operates at or above its full capacity.

“We never turn anyone away,” said a hospital official who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on behalf of the institution. “But that also means patients and their families sometimes have to wait outside until space or staff becomes available.”

The hospital’s outpatient services now operate extended hours — from 6 am to 10 pm on weekdays, and until 2 pm on weekends — to meet the growing demand. Still, the morning and late-afternoon rush creates long queues that spill outside the hospital’s entrance.

Many waiting outside are not just patients but family members accompanying the sick, lining up for laboratory appointments, or waiting for results. Others arrive early to secure a slot for the day’s consultations, braving the heat in uncovered or poorly shaded waiting areas.

In recent weeks, temperatures in Cagayan de Oro have peaked above 35°C, increasing the risk of heat-related illnesses such as exhaustion and dehydration — especially for the elderly and those already unwell.

“Init kaayo, pero wala mi’y mahimo. Magdala lang mi ug payong ug tubig. Kay kung mouli ka, mawala na imong pwesto,” said Marilou R., 52, who accompanied her husband for a cardiology follow-up.

To address congestion, NMMC is currently building a new eight-story trauma center that will house at least 15 specialty departments.

Local officials say this expansion will ease crowding and improve patient flow in the coming years.

But for now, many patients and families continue to endure the discomfort, hoping their turn for medical attention comes soon.