Zakat pays for medical bills in Oman

Muscat: More than 160 patients in Oman have undergone treatment in 2016 thanks to Zakat funds, according to the Ministry of Endowment and Religious Affairs (MERA).
Zakat is a fundamental pillar of Islam religion. It is a compulsory giving of 2.5 per cent per year of a Muslim’s wealth to the poor and needy.
The ministry spent around OMR930,000 of Zakat money last year on charity.
In a report, the ministry said it dealt with 9,870 cases in 2016.
Breaking down the numbers, 168 cases were in need for medical care, 722 needed better living and 53 for housing help.
One case suffered from a natural disaster and was paid OMR600.
Moreover, 50 people received education funds and 8,857 received other sorts of support.
The ministry said it held 11 meetings last year to review the cases in all the governorates of Oman.