Table 2. Comparison of time from identification of patients suspected for MDR-TB to initiation of MDR-TB treatment between pre- and post-LPA period - New Delhi, India.

Steps between identification of patients suspected for MDR-TB and treatment initiation	Median time, days (IQR)		P-value*
	Pre-LPAa	Post-LPAb
Step 1: Time from identification of patients suspected for MDR-TB to submission of samplesin the laboratory	12(7–29)	9(4–31)	0.07
Step 2: Time taken in the laboratory to test and provide the MDR-TB report	107(79–131)	5(3–6)	<0.0001
Step 3: Time taken from laboratory report to patient reporting to Drug Resistant TB centre	12(4–26)	7(5–13)	0.3
Step 4: Time taken by Drug Resistant TB centre to initiate treatment	8(7–13)	12(9–17)	0.006
TOTAL (Step 1–Step 4)	157(127–200)	38(30–79)	<0.001

*P-value generated using the Wilcoxon rank sum test; IQR = Inter-quartile range; MDR-TB = Multidrug resistant Tuberculosis;

^aSolid/liquid culture & Drug Sensitivity Testing (DST).

^bLPA: Line Probe Assay.