International Epilepsy Day 2026: Raising Awareness for Over 50 Million Affected

Monday, February 9, 2026, is being observed as International Epilepsy Day, a global initiative aimed at improving understanding of epilepsy and supporting the rights of people living with the condition. The day highlights the need to move beyond myths and stigma toward empathy, inclusion, and better healthcare access. With over 50 million people worldwide affected, International Epilepsy Day 2026 places renewed focus on awareness, advocacy, and real-world action.

What Is International Epilepsy Day

• International Epilepsy Day is a worldwide awareness initiative led by the International Bureau for Epilepsy and the International League Against Epilepsy.
• It is dedicated to improving public understanding of epilepsy, a neurological disorder characterised by recurrent seizures.
• The day provides a global platform to highlight lived experiences, challenge discrimination, and promote equal opportunities in healthcare, education, employment, and social participation.

Why Awareness and Education Matter

• A central goal of International Epilepsy Day is awareness and education.
• Misconceptions around epilepsy often lead to fear, exclusion, and social stigma.
• By explaining what epilepsy is and what it is not the day encourages empathy and informed responses.
• Better awareness helps communities support people during seizures, improves early diagnosis, and reduces discrimination in schools and workplaces.
• Education is the foundation for inclusion and dignity.

Global Participation and Collective Voice

• International Epilepsy Day sees global participation through school programmes, community events, policy discussions, media coverage, and digital campaigns.
• These activities amplify the voices of people living with epilepsy and their families.
• The shared global observance sends a strong message that epilepsy is not a marginal issue but a public health and human rights concern requiring collective responsibility and sustained attention.

Advocacy for Policy and Inclusion

• Beyond awareness, International Epilepsy Day calls for policy-level change.
• It aligns with the World Health Organization’s Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders (IGAP).
• The focus is on equal access to treatment, affordable medicines, social protection, and inclusive systems. Advocacy ensures epilepsy is addressed not only medically, but also socially and economically.

From Awareness to Action: The Epilepsy Pledge 2026

• A major highlight of International Epilepsy Day 2026 is the launch of the Epilepsy Pledge.
• This initiative encourages individuals, schools, workplaces, and organisations to commit to one concrete action during 2026 that improves awareness, safety, or inclusion.
• The pledge builds on lived-experience stories and shifts the focus from listening to doing, ensuring that awareness leads to measurable change.

Why International Epilepsy Day 2026 Is Important

• International Epilepsy Day 2026 marks a transition from symbolic awareness to community-driven action.
• By promoting understanding, policy advocacy, and individual responsibility, the day strengthens the global movement for dignity, safety, and equal rights for people with epilepsy.

What Is Epilepsy

• Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disorder marked by recurrent seizures caused by abnormal brain activity.
• It can affect people of all ages and is treatable in many cases with timely diagnosis and medication.

Question

Q. Epilepsy is best described as a,

A. Mental disorder
B. Infectious disease
C. Neurological disorder
D. Genetic disability only