The surgeon general of the US Navy yesterday heaped praise on King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's care of its personnel based here.

And he said the US Government had no plans to get rid of the US Naval Air Station's out-patient clinic or any of its staff.

Vice Admiral Donald F. Hagen, who is based in the Pentagon in Washington DC, was appointed surgeon general in April, 1991.

A surgeon who served with the Marine Corps in Vietnam, he is responsible for the health of all Navy personnel and their families -- some 3 million people -- in peace and war.

He is visiting Bermuda as part of a tour to familiarise himself with the medical facilities and staff of overseas bases.

"I am delighted with the close working relationship between the Base's branch clinic and King Edward,'' he said.

"Our babies are born here, people who have accidents on our streets are brought here and those who require hospitalisation for illnesses are brought here. We depend on King Edward to give us all the intensive medical help we need.'' It was not always that way, pointed out KEMH chief of staff Dr. William Cooke.

Bermudians once relied heavily on the branch clinic for medical treatment.

As a 50-bed hospital in the 1960s -- before the Base started cutting personnel -- Dr. Cooke said it had far better facilities than KEMH and local doctors frequently borrowed from it.

But now the tables are turned and KEMH has the better facilities.

"I doubt most Bermudians know King Edward now serves as the Base's hospital,'' he added.

"The quality of care at King Edward is excellent,'' said Vice Adm. Hagen.

"We've had no complaints.'' Bermuda Hospitals Board executive director Mr. Hume Martin noted KEMH, in turn, relies on the Base's branch clinic in many ways.

"They help us clinically and financially,'' Mr. Martin said.

Because the US Navy is in charge of the aiport, it provides ambulances and medical services in the event of a military or civilian air accident.

It will also send an ambulance for any emergency east of Blue Hole Hill. And it helps the hospital with its advanced cardiac life support training course by providing expensive equipment such as mannequins, and staff to teach it.

An example of the good working relationship between KEMH and the Base clinic was the American Airlines emergency landing last year.

Dozens of passengers injured in a sudden mid-air drop of several thousand feet were taken to the clinic for emergency treatment before being taken to KEMH.

The more seriously injured passengers were taken straight to KEMH by Base and King Edward ambulances.

And when KEMH was running low on medical gases, Mr. Martin said the base clinic came through and lent the hospital enough until its new supplies arrived.

VISITING VIP -- Bermuda Hospitals Board executive director Mr. Hume Martin welcomes US Navy Surgeon General Vice Admiral Donald Hagen to Bermuda.