The responsibility of the department is to make quality medical facilities available and accessible to the people, to focus on preventing diseases and to promote adoption of healthy life style.

[4] Of the three demographically related targets of the Millennium Development Goals set by the United Nations and expected to be achieved by 2015, Tamil Nadu achieved the goals related to improvement of maternal health and of reducing infant mortality and child mortality by 2009.

[8] Tamil Nadu is a major center for medical tourism and Chennai is termed as "India's health capital".

[15] The department is also responsible for the implementation of state health insurance scheme for eligible beneficiaries.

[7] Food safety and inspection, drug approval and control are also functions under the purview of the health department.