Introduction:
Prevalence of smoking among Indonesian male aged ≥15 years is 65% (Basic Health Research 2007). Healthy Nusantara Team (HNT) is a team composed of newly graduated health professionals (medical doctor, nurse, midwife, pharmacist, etc.) working for Ministry of Health (MOH) Rep. of Indonesia with the aim to improve the health of Indonesian communities living in IPBA (Isolated, Peripheral and Border Areas) of Indonesia.

Objectives:
To explore what should be done by MOH Rep. of Indonesia to make HNTs have an important role in curbing tobacco epidemic in IPBA of Indonesia.

Methods:
We observed HNT role in smoking prevention in Ayau island, Raja Ampat, Papua, during September 2015-September 2017 and took lessons learnt. Knowing that the chairman of Ayau HNT is a smoker, the authors recommended him to quit smoking to become a role model in Ayau islands. The authors also recommended Ayau HNT to make smoking prevention or quit smoking campaign as one of their working programs. After a year, the authors checked whether they followed the authors’ recommendations or not.

Results:
After one year, the authors found that Ayau HNT did not follow the authors’ recommendation. Ayau HNT's chairman did not quit smoking and his team did not campaign for quit smoking as recommended. Ayau HNT chairman gave a reason why he did not quit smoking and why his team did not campaign for quit smoking, i.e. because he was afraid to be socially unacceptable.

Conclusion(s):
In order to improve the health of Indonesian communities living in IPBA of Indonesia, MOH Rep. of Indonesia should not allow smoker applicants to fill the position of HNT chairman or its members and should only allow non-smokers who have willingness to perform Smoking Prevention Program in IPBA. MOH also should train and facilitate them in smoking prevention and control.