Column: VDH remains committed to serving Portsmouth

The column asks readers to see Portsmouth’s health problems mainly as management turbulence and staffing gaps, with the Virginia Department of Health assuring us it remains “committed.” Commitment is nice. But it is not a substitute for honest accountability when the same system produces the same breakdowns.

What’s missing is the public’s side of the ledger: why basic services falter, who is responsible for fixing them, and what changes will prevent the next round of turnover and “structural instability.” When agencies explain failure as a staffing narrative, they often dodge the harder questions about institutional competence, incentives, and whether bureaucracy is built to serve patients or protect itself.

A conservative view starts with public trust and clear lines of responsibility. Portsmouth families need dependable clinics, timely inspections, and transparent metrics, not rotating leadership memos. If VDH wants confidence, it should pair resources with measurable performance and real consequences. The principle at stake is simple: government earns legitimacy by delivering basics well.