Munroe Road Hindu School tops diabetes quiz

The Diabetes Association of TT (DATT) held its third annual National Diabetes Primary School Quiz on May 17 at the Daaga Auditorium, UWI St Augustine Campus.

A media release said, this initiative aims to educate young students about diabetes, contributing to the reduction of non-communicable diseases through proactive education.

The quiz has been revitalised over the past three years evolving into a dynamic and engaging platform that captures the enthusiasm of children, parents and teachers. This event fosters a community dedicated to learning about diabetes, with participants gaining crucial knowledge about the signs, symptoms, complications and prevention of this condition.

The hosts of the final round of the competition were Samantha Best and Nicolas Castellanos. In attendance were several distinguished guests, including the patron of the Diabetes Association, Kerwyn Garcia, SC, and Minister in the Ministry of Education, Lisa Morris-Julian. Also in attendance were the president of the association, Dr Andrew Dhanoo, the president of the National Parent Teacher Association, Walter Stewart, representatives from the Ministry of Youth Development and National Service, representatives from the Ministry of Health, and members of the Rotary Clubs of TT, the release said.

The quiz is specifically tailored for standard three students across TT. This year had the participation of over 800 students from 133 schools nationwide. From this impressive group, 45 semifinalists were selected and ultimately, 15 finalists competed in the final round, the release said.

The event, comprised of three rounds – easy, medium, and hard – tested the participants’ expertise through oral questions and answers. Students faced elimination upon providing incorrect responses or exhausting their allotted chances.In the final moments, Annalee Katelyn Hansraj and Vivek Supersad-Maharaj emerged as the last contenders standing.

Hansraj tackled a critical question, When visiting a doctor, a fasting blood glucose test is often ordered. How should a patient prepare the night before taking this test? However, her response missed the mark, leading to her elimination. The spotlight then turned to Supersad-Maharaj , who seized the opportunity when presented with the question,“Stage three retinopathy, known as proliferative retinopathy is aggressively treated by this medical procedure. What is the name of the procedure? With confidence and precision, Supersad-Maharaj identified the correct medical procedure as photocoagulation, securing his victory in the competition and the auditorium erupted in a wave of applause and cheers.

The association is proud to support and promote diabetes education among young students. The success of this year’s quiz highlights the importance of such initiatives in building awareness and fostering a healthier future for our children, the release said.

The winners of the competition are as follows:

1st place: Vivek Supersad-Maharaj, Munroe Road Hindu School

2nd place: Annalee Katelyn Hansraj, Princes Town ASJA Primary School

3rd place: Simran Jankie, Carapichaima ASJA Primary School

San Fernando Boys RC School was recognised for having the most preliminary entries and received a cash prize of $2,000.

For more info on the Diabetes Association of Trinidad and Tobago call 607-3288, e-mail: info@diabetes-tt.org, visit www.diabetes-tt.org or Instagram, Facebook and TikTok