VGM Ortho Care, a unit of VGM Hospital, organised an awareness walkathon titled ‘Halt Arthritis 2026’ at Race Course in Coimbatore on Thursday to mark World Arthritis Day 2026 and raise awareness about arthritis prevention among youngsters.

The initiative, led by Dr. Suman CPS, Arthritis and Joint Replacement Specialist, witnessed the participation of over 400 paramedical students from six colleges — Nehru College, SNS College, Cheran College, PPG College, J.K. College and Rathinam College.

The students were educated on arthritis prevention, with a focus on healthy lifestyle practices and regular exercise. The programme aimed to encourage young people to adopt preventive health measures and spread awareness about joint health among the public.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Suman said that the students had received awareness on lifestyle modifications and exercises that could help promote joint health and reduce the risk of arthritis-related problems.

Dr. VG Mohan Prasad, Chairman of VGM Group, emphasised the importance of addressing arthritis and its impact on quality of life. “Arthritis may not threaten life, but it is highly disabling and needs attention,” he said.

Coimbatore District Collector Pavankumar Giriyappanavar, guided the participating students in taking a pledge to promote arthritis awareness. He encouraged each student to reach out to at least 100 patients or members of the public as a goodwill initiative, helping extend the campaign’s message to a wider community.

The event also saw the active participation of Dr. Madhura Prasad Suman, Dr. Vamsi Murthy, Dr. Mithra Prasad and Dr. GokulKruba Shankar.

Through the walkathon, VGM Ortho Care sought to highlight the importance of early awareness, healthy lifestyle choices and regular physical activity in promoting joint health among young people.