Nordic countries dominate the top while countries in sub-Saharan Africa dominate the bottom levels of the best and worst places to be a mother and a child.

The Mother's Index of US-based global humanitarian organization Save the Children highlighted in the organization's State of the World's Mothers 2008 report compares the well-being of mothers and children in 146 countries.

A new polyclinic would soon open in Eastern Ontario offering tertiary health care services. Among its offerings are day surgery, a magnetic resonance imaging unit, mental health services and limited cancer services.

Dr. Robert Cushman, chief executive officer of the soon-to-open Champlain Local Health Integrated Network, told the Ottawa Sun, "For the patients, it's fantastic because it's really one-stop shopping." The health center would use the British model of health care, with family health as the primary focus and specialty services as secondary focus.

At least 360 workers who volunteered to perform search and rescue operations at the World Trade Center directly following the September 11, 2001 attacks have since died; 80 of which suffered cancer-related deaths.

The volunteers and rescuers worked at Ground Zero, nearby blocks and at the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. New York state health officials have identified the cause of death for 154 dead volunteers.

The rise in number of clostridium difficile-related deaths in Ontario has prompted Canadian Health Minister George Smitherman to order all hospitals to report cases of the superbug to the ministry.

So far 76 confined at the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Burlington have died the past 20 months from direct and indirect exposure to the superbug bacteria, which leads to severe diarrhea.

In view of Canada's greying population, the Insurance Bureau recommended amending the driver's licensing system of the country.

Insurance Bureau chief executive officer Mark Yakabuskim said Wednesday at an Aging Driver Mobility Forum he is not in favor of repealing licenses of the elderly, instead he wants to restrict issuance of driver's permits to drivers beyond 60.