Health Ministry has launched a probe regarding an advertisement by Faxy’s Hijama Clinic, owned by Fazeela Usman, claiming a single hijama session helps loose three to four kilos. 
The clinic has come under fire on multiple prior occasions, with the most prominent issue being the provision of hijama services without registration.  
Health Ministry subsequently shut down the clinic on September 24, 2024, following repeated warnings to register with the Ministry to provide hijama services.
The clinic reopened after registration in January.
Faxy’s Hijama Clinic posted an advertisement on Facebook on Wednesday, claiming a single hijama session can help the recipient lose three to four kilos, which is now offered at reduced prices of MVR 500 from MVR 1,000.
The advertisement also claims that recipients would not need to exercise or manage their diet to lose weight through these hijama sessions. It adds that if no weight is lost, the clinic will reimburse MVR 1,000.
Speaking with Sun, Fazeela said she has been providing hijama services for nine years as of present. She added that she had faced financial losses when the Ministry shut down her clinic for operating without registration.
“I did this with the intent of recovering the losses incurred when the clinic was closed down for nine months. I have done this successfully in 2024 as well. There are ‘before and after’ of 24 people showing how much they lost weight,” she detailed.
Fazeela, citing hijama is recognized in the Prophet’s sunnah, said she has provided hijama services to over 30,000 people in the Maldives, including individuals holding senior government posts. She added that a person who weighed 110 kilos lost five kilos from a single session.
She explained that people lose weight through hijama the same way they would through exercise.
“Hijama improves blood circulation. The type of benefits you get from exercising is the same medical benefits you receive from hijama. Exercise helps increase blood circulation, which improves blood flow to organs. Hijama has the same effect medically,” she said.
Health Ministry confirmed to Sun that the authority was investigating the Faxy’s Hijama Clinic.
According to a research by the US National Library of Medicine, hijama improves blood circulation and removes toxins from the body. However, further research is needed to establish more facts on hijama.
The best way to lose weight, according to medical research, is to exercise and maintain a proper diet.