Abstract
The worldwide antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threat continues to grow, causing an estimate of 4.71 million deaths during 2021. Scientists predict it could lead to 10 million deaths each year by 2050 unless effective solutions are developed. The government of Saudi Arabia implemented the AMR Action Plan (2022-2025) and participated in the 4th Global High-Level Ministerial Conference on AMR (2024) to address this issue. However, ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii remain major threats in Saudi Arabia. Bacteriophage therapy offers a promising additional treatment approach as phages specifically attack bacteria. They also evolve and demonstrate effectiveness against bacteria that form biofilms. This review evaluates Saudi Arabia's readiness for phage-based therapy implementation through an analysis of both local and worldwide antibiotic resistance data.