NEW DELHI: Quietly working behind the scenes, women across India are steering the fight against COVID 19 through Self Help Groups starting with masks and sanitisers and now also stepping in to manufacture Personal Protective Equipment for frontline workers. While over 1.96 crore masks and more than 1 lakh litres of sanitiser has been made so far, around 5000 PPE kits have been prepared by SHGs from across 27 states and union territories.According to the union ministry of rural development based on reports from the state missions under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihood Mission, SHG members as part of the PPE kits are making aprons, gowns and face shields. For instance, in Punjab, the State Rural Livelihood Mission has reported to have supplied 500 aprons to civil surgeons in Kapurthala. Meghalaya reported supply of 200 face shields to the district medical health officer. Karnataka has also reported production of 125 face shields. SRLMs of Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab have reported production of face shields, gowns by the SHG members.Meanwhile, 1.96 crore masks have been produced by over 78,373 SHG members from across the country. According to officials in MoRD these efforts are aimed at ensuring supply and overcoming any possible shortage of masks in the market and provide a durable and reusable low-cost option to frontline workers. The SHGs are also reaching out to low-income and poor communities who cannot afford to repeatedly buy, use and throw the one time use surgical masks.The state wise break-up shows that Andhra Pradesh leads SHGs have made over 31.77 lakh masks, the highest among states till April 8, followed by Tamil Nadu at more than 31.61 lakh masks. Madhya Pradesh finds itself at third place with over 19.35 lakh masks.The ministry earlier issued detailed advisories to state missions under NRLM on the wide range of activities the SHGs can be involved with to contain the spread of Corona virus. The list also includes making masks, sanitiser, gloves, soap and reaching the hungry through community kitchens. Various categories of masks including 2-3 ply woven and non-woven surgical masks, cotton masks are being made in keeping with the advisories of ministries of health and consumer affairs.