Table of Contents
Topic Summary
What a Hijjama Centre Licence Covers
A licensed hijjama centre can offer wet cupping, dry cupping, specialist consultations, multi-session treatment plans, preventive screening, and corporate wellness programmes. Services must be delivered by qualified practitioners in a DHA-compliant clinical setting.
Why Dubai's Market Demand Is Strong
Dubai's population exceeds 3.6 million and is projected to reach 5.8 million by 2040, creating sustained demand for specialist health services. Mandatory health insurance and the city's wellness positioning add both self-pay and insurance-funded revenue streams.
Who Should Consider This Business
Healthcare investors, clinical founders such as physicians and therapists, and international wellness brands are the primary candidates for this licence. Each group can benefit from Dubai's insurance-funded patient flows, regulatory clarity, and growing specialist capacity gap.
Key Advantages of Meydan Free Zone Setup
Registering through Meydan Free Zone gives operators 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, and full profit repatriation. The fully digital licensing process makes it a fast and cost-effective market entry route.
Third-Party DHA Approval Is Mandatory
Before a trade licence is issued, your facility, clinical model, staffing, and regulatory documentation must be reviewed and cleared by the Dubai Health Authority. This step ensures all hijjama centres meet DHA quality and safety standards before opening.
What This Licence Does Not Permit
Hospital inpatient services, general medical practice, and unlicensed wellness services fall outside the scope of this activity code. Operators running those services must obtain separate, applicable licences.
AML Compliance Status for This Activity
Hijjama centre operations are exempt from Anti-Money Laundering compliance requirements under this business activity classification. This simplifies the regulatory burden compared to some other healthcare and financial service categories.
How to Start Hijjama Centre Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
A hijjama centre, the licensed facility providing specialist wet cupping (hijjama) services, serves a growing patient and consumer base in Dubai.¹
Dubai's population of over 3.6 million, projected to reach 5.8 million by 2040,³ combined with mandatory health insurance and a strong wellness positioning, drives demand for licensed hijjama centre services.
For operators, a hijjama centre benefits from specialist positioning, insurance and self-pay revenue streams, and DHA regulatory clarity.²
That sustained demand for quality healthcare, specialist capacity, and population growth is exactly where the opportunity lies.
Sources: Dubai Health Authority. Strategic Plan and Healthcare Statistics, UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention. National Health Strategy, Dubai Media Office, Dubai 2040 Urban Master Plan launch
The UAE has positioned healthcare as a strategic priority under We the UAE 2031, with explicit targets for capacity expansion, quality, Emiratisation, and medical tourism.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Healthcare investors | Groups deploying capital into specialist health services in Dubai, targeting insurance-funded, self-pay, and government-referred patient flows. |
| Clinical founders | Physicians, therapists, and healthcare professionals establishing a licensed specialist practice or centre in Dubai. |
| International health brands | Global healthcare and wellness brands establishing a licensed Dubai operation or franchise. |
Setting up through Meydan Free Zone means 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a fully digital licensing process, giving you a fast and cost-effective route into the Dubai market.
8690.83 - Hijjama Center
Under this activity, you are in the business of operating a licensed hijjama centre providing wet cupping (hijjama), dry cupping, and traditional cupping therapy delivered in a licensed, hygienic clinical setting.
Services are delivered under DHA licensing and quality standards, with qualified practitioners and appropriate clinical or operational infrastructure.¹
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Specialist Consultation | Assessment. Outpatient consultation, assessment, and treatment planning within hijjama centre. |
| Core Treatment | Primary services. Wet cupping (hijjama) and related core treatment services. |
| Ongoing Management | Follow-up care. Multi-session treatment plans and chronic or recurring condition management. |
| Preventive Services | Screening and prevention. Preventive screening, early detection, and wellness services within hijjama centre. |
| Corporate and Group | B2B services. Corporate wellness, group programmes, and institutional service contracts. |
There are some things this activity does not cover. Hospital inpatient services and general medical practice fall under separate codes.
Services outside the defined scope of hijjama centre are classified under their respective activity codes.
In short: if you are operating a licensed hijjama centre, you are in. If you are running a hospital, a general practice, or an unlicensed wellness service, you are not.
Third-Party Approval
This business activity requires third-party approval before the trade licence is issued. In practice, your facility, clinical or operational model, staffing, and regulatory documentation must be reviewed and cleared by the relevant authority before licensing.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
