Introduction Patient-centered care approach in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care requires health worker safety that covers both being safe and feeling safe to conduct the services. Stigma has been argued as a barrier to patient-centered care. However, there has been relatively little research addressing the issues of safety and stigma among health staff. This paper explored the issue of being safe, feeling safe, and stigmatizing attitude among health staff working with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis cases in primary health care facilities in Indonesia. Methods Using a mixed methods research design, data was collected with structured questionnaires among 123 staff, observations of infection control in 17 primary health care facilities, and in-depth interviews among 22 staff. Results The findings showed suboptimal infection control infrastructures for the primary health care facilities. The knowledge and motivation to follow multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care protocols are suboptimal. Feeling unsafe is related to stigmatizing attitude in providing multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care. Conclusion Being safe, feeling unsafe, and stigmatizing attitude are challenges in providing patient-centered multidrug-resistant tuberculosis care in primary health care facilities in Indonesia. Serious efforts are needed on all levels to ensure safety and prevent irrational stigma.

BackgroundOperational research is currently one of the pillars of the global strategy to control tuberculosis. Indonesia initiated capacity building for operational research on tuberculosis over the last decade. Although publication of the research in peer-reviewed journals is an important indicator for measuring the success of this endeavor, the influence of operational research on policy and practices is considered even more important. However, little is known about the process by which operational research influences tuberculosis control policy and practices.ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate the influence of operational research on tuberculosis control policy and practice in Indonesia between 2004 and 2014.DesignUsing a qualitative study design, we conducted in-depth interviews of 50 researchers and 30 policy makers/program managers and performed document reviews. Transcripts of these interviews were evaluated while applying content analysis.ResultsOperational research contributed to tuberculosis control policy and practice improvements, including development of new policies, introduction of new practices, and reinforcement of current program policies and practices. However, most of these developments had limited sustainability. The path from the dissemination of research results and recommendations to policy and practice changes was long and complex. The skills, interests, and political power of researchers and policy makers, as well as health system response, could influence the process.ConclusionsOperational research contributed to improving tuberculosis control policy and practices. A systematic approach to improve the sustainability of the impact of operational research should be explored.