The department of Paediatrics has been in existence for nearly forty years from its inception in 1978.The department is involved in academic activates as well as providing health care for children under 14 years form any part of the county. Its clinical, teaching and research facilities are provided within the Faculty of Medicine, Adiyapatham Road, Thirunelveli, Jaffna, and a 60 bedded ward, including a Dengue high dependency unit in the Teaching hospital Jaffna (the heart of the City).The department and its facilities are accredited for Undergraduate as well as Post graduate training of Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM). The department is affiliated with the James Cook University, Australia.

The research interest of the department includes childhood nutrition, childhood obesity, respiratory diseases in children and child protection.