The Japanese government should prioritize power supply allocation to medical device manufacturing facilities producing life-saving and sustaining devices such as ventilators, oxygen supply products and defibrillators.

So argues Kazue Ogino, Japan Federation of Medical Device Associations (JFMDA) chairman, according to the blog medtechinsider.com. Ongoing rolling blackouts throughout the country following the massive earthquake and tsunami earlier this month have spawned production and logistical challenges for manufacturers to ensure adequate supplies of such devices.

Writing to the Japanese health and economic ministries, Ogino requested allowances for additional electricity and gasoline to enable manufacturers to both produce appropriate devices and distribute them to disaster-stricken areas.