HIV-1, the virus responsible for AIDS, exhibits significant genetic diversity, classified into various subtypes and recombinant forms. Historically, research and diagnostic efforts have predominantly focused on subtype B due to its prevalence in Western countries. However, subtype B accounts for only about 11% of global HIV-1 infections, leaving approximately 90% of cases, predominantly in non-Western regions, underrepresented in research and diagnostic developments1. This disparity has profound societal implications. Diagnostic assays, antiretroviral therapies, and vaccine candidates are primarily tailored to subtype B and may not be as effective against non-B subtypes. As a result, patients infected with non-B subtypes may face delayed diagnoses, suboptimal treatment outcomes, and limited prevention options. This contributes to continued HIV transmission, increased disease burden, and persistent global health disparities in these non-Western countries. Addressing this gap is critical. Improving the accuracy and accessibility of non-B subtyping will enhance our understanding of viral behaviour, transmission, and drug resistance, enabling better-targeted interventions. This work is critically urgent given recent and alarming policy changes. In April 2025, the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) abruptly cancelled over 230 HIV research grants. Many of these studies were conducted in developing regions where these non-B subtypes are highly prevalent. Additionally, the suspension of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has severely disrupted the distribution of life-saving HIV medications in numerous countries, jeopardizing decades of hard-won progress. By focusing on non-B subtypes, this thesis aims to gain crucial insights on non-B subtypes and advance urgent surveillance of vulnerable populations in non-Western regions. This focus is essential to strive for equitable healthcare and reversing setbacks caused by these recent disruptions.