Shichuo Li

In Memory of Li Shichuo, the Elder Statesman of Epilepsy in China

It was with immense sadness that we just heard of the passing of Professor Li Shichuo at the age of 84. He was one of the most respected and influential figures in Chinese and global epilepsy. Prof Li was a true visionary whose lifelong dedication transformed the landscape of epilepsy care, research, and advocacy in China and beyond.

An outstanding advocate for people with epilepsy, Professor Li was the founder and served as the first president (2005-2014) of the China Association Against Epilepsy, an affiliate of ILAE and IBE, and made it a platform for professional collaboration, public education, and the empowerment of people with epilepsy.

Professor Li worked closely with ILAE for many years, mainly through leadership and advisory roles. He served on the ILAE Commission on Asian-Oceanian Affairs, co-chaired the ILAE/IBE Global Outreach Task Force, and advised the ILAE Executive Committee on Public Health. He helped to initiate and drive the WHO/ILAE/IBE Global Campaign against Epilepsy. He was the keystone in implementing the Epilepsy Demonstration project in China and was instrumental in establishing China's highly successful National Programme for the management of epilepsy in rural areas. Prof Li embraced the principles of the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP) from its inception and consistently emphasised that this was the way forward to a healthier brain for all.

His leadership extended well beyond epilepsy: he served as the World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in the South Pacific Region, as the Assistant Director-General of the WHO in Geneva and as such was head of the Mental Health and Non-communicable Diseases Division, as Director-General for International Cooperation at China’s Ministry of Health, and as Deputy-Director-General of the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, roles through which he advanced the national and global understanding and cooperation in neurological health.

In addition to his advocacy and administrative leadership, Professor Li devoted himself to epidemiological research, focusing on the prevention and control of cerebrovascular diseases and epilepsy in the community. His pioneering studies significantly deepened the understanding of epilepsy’s public health dimensions and guided evidence-based approaches to improving care across China and internationally.

Professor Li’s lifetime of scientific and humanitarian achievements earned him numerous accolades and honours, including the ILAE Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognises his extensive contributions to epilepsy research and to people living with the condition worldwide.

As the elder statesman of epilepsy in China, Professor Li Shichuo’s legacy endures through the institutions he built, the generations of clinicians and researchers he mentored, and the countless people with epilepsy whose lives were improved by his vision, compassion, and commitment. He will be remembered with great respect and gratitude by colleagues and by the global epilepsy community that he served so devotedly.

Dong Zhou, Ley Sander & Ding Ding
07 March 2026