DJNRMHS traces its roots to its mission of serving the underserved, particularly patients with Hansen’s Disease. Legislative actions in the 1930s led to the establishment of leprosaria in Luzon, with Tala emerging as the central institution in Central Luzon.

Through decades of service, the institution evolved into a teaching and training hospital, participated in international chemotherapy trials, and played a key role in the National Leprosy Control Program. The Dermatology Service formally opened in 1986 and expanded alongside the hospital’s growing mandate.

In 2007, DJNRMHS became a tertiary general hospital. In 2021, under the Universal Health Care Act, it was designated as a specialty center—transforming into an advanced comprehensive specialty hospital serving multiple disciplines, including dermatology.