Leona Buhenzire

Leona Tura Buhenzire (born 16 December 1983), also known as TURA, is a Ugandan clinical psychologist and mental health specialist. She serves as Director at Mental Health Support Systems and Quickcare Wellness Center in Bugolobi, Kampala, and works as a consultant at Butabika National Referral Hospital.^[1][2]

Buhenzire was born in Uganda on 16 December 1983. She attended Makerere University, graduating with a Bachelor of Community Psychology in 2006. She returned to Makerere a decade later, completing a Master of Science in Mental Health (Clinical Psychology) in 2016.^[3]

Buhenzire began practising clinical psychology in 2006.^[3] At Butabika National Referral Hospital, Uganda's primary psychiatric facility, she consults on mental health cases and facilitates group therapy sessions.^[3]

Buhenzire has commented on mental health issues in Ugandan and international media. In May 2022, she appeared on RX Radio's Groove Cafe, where she discussed loneliness as an underlying cause of mental illness. She argued that public health approaches to mental health should address root causes such as social disconnection rather than focusing solely on diagnosable conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.^[4]

In October 2023, Buhenzire was interviewed by VaccinesWork, a publication of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, regarding the psychological effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people. She noted that misinformation spread through social media had contributed to rising anxiety among teenagers, describing the phenomenon as an "infodemic" affecting mental health.^[5]

In 2024, The Observer quoted Buhenzire in a report on youth suicide in Uganda. She identified depression as a leading factor in suicidal behaviour among young Ugandans, noting that family environment and social acceptance significantly influence mental health outcomes.^[1]