One in three Moldovans suffers from chronic illnesses and the number is growing.

The weight of sick people has increased with four percentage points for the last six years up to 35.5% of the population, shows a research compiled by the National Statistics Bureau and commissioned by the Health Ministry.

The villagers are the most vulnerable. 40 % of the rural women, aged 35 - 40, suffer from chronic diseases, that’s 8% more than the number of men.

The heart diseases are up in the top with 261 cases at 1,000 inhabitants, followed by bone diseases -- 95 cases at 1,000. The digestive and endocrinal affections follow.