Is it permissible to pay part of the zakat money to cancer hospitals for the needy, and can it be paid in kind, such as clothes, if the beneficiary is unable to purchase them?

It is permissible to pay Zakat (definition) to hospitals if it is to cover the treatment debts of poor patients. It is not a condition to give the money directly to the indebted person; rather, it is permissible to pay it directly to the creditor.

However, if the Zakat is to be paid to the hospital for purchasing equipment or medicines, this is not permissible. Instead, the ownership of the Zakat must be transferred to the poor patient who is eligible for it.