Ministry of Islamic Affairs has revealed that the Maldives Zakat House has provided financial assitance for over 1,000 people seeking medical treatment. The ministry also shared detailed figures regarding the financial support offered by the Zakat House over the past five years. Since 2019, the Zakat House has extended medical assistance to 8,000 individuals. In 2023 alone, it supported 2,379 people in need of medical care. While the Zakat House has been instrumental in helping individuals with treatment costs, the largest expenditure has been directed toward those battling cancer. In addition, the Zakat House allocated USD 648,508 to the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) for providing bone marrow treatment to children with thalassemia. Statistics on the amounts Zakat House has spent on treatment since 2019 are as follows: – 2019: USD1 million for 1,289 people -2020: USD402,075 for 288 people – 2021: USD752,269 for 997 people – 2022: USD1.4 million for 2,030 people – 2023: USD1.3 million for 2,379 people – 2024 till November: USD590,143 million for 1,017 people Furthermore, the ministry disclosed the total amounts collected as Zakat-al-Mal from 2018 through October 2024. It highlighted that, unlike in previous years, the total collection this year was notably higher. While annual collections typically fell below USD 4.9 million, the total for 2024 reached USD 5.7 million by the end of October. Additionally, the ministry revealed statistics pertaining to the amounts collect as Zakat-al-Fitr since 2019-2024. Between 2019 and 2023, the amount collected as Zakat-al-Fitr ranged between USD363,165 to USD557,717. However, this year, USD629,053 was collected as Zakat-al-Fitr.
