Clinton, 63, was admitted to the Columbia Campus of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital after experiencing chest pains, according to the hospital’s cardiology chief Dr Allan Schwartz. He also said the ex-president had been experiencing discomfort over the last few days.

Clinton is currently recuperating after the stent procedure, according to a source, who also confirmed that the former president is in good condition.

“President Clinton is in good spirits and will continue to focus on the work of his foundation and Haiti’s relief and long-term recovery efforts”, Clinton’s counsellor Douglas Band said in a written statement.

Chelsea Clinton, the former president’s daughter, stayed at the hospital with her father, Schwartz stated.

Clinton’s wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, arrived Thursday night in New York after her weekly White House meeting with US President Barack Obama, according to a State Department official.

Hillary Clinton’s trip to the Middle East will be postponed until Saturday, said a senior US official. The ex-president’s wife had been set to leave Friday afternoon.

According to a spokesman of former President George W. Bush, who has been working on Haiti earthquake recovery and relief efforts with Clinton, Bush talked with Chelsea Clinton on Thursday afternoon and “was glad to hear that her father is doing well and that his spirits are high”.

The poor nation was struck by a devastating earthquake on 12 January, damaging areas of the country and taking the lives of more than 200,000 people, the spokesman for Haiti’s prime minister informed CNN on Wednesday.

Clinton was asked by Ban “to assume a leadership role in coordinating international aid efforts, from emergency response to new construction of Haiti”.

“You have demonstrated extremely important leadership”, Ban said to Clinton, who is currently the UN’s special envoy to Haiti.

A statement released by Clinton’s office at the UN said that the former US president will work with the people and the government of Haiti for the reconstruction and recovery of the nation. The statement also said that Clinton will work with UN agencies and various international partners, which includes private investors, government donors, and non-governmental organisations.

Ban spoke to Clinton saying: “I cannot find any other better suited leader than yourself, Mr. President”. Clinton thanked Ban and said: “I will do the best I can”.

“I think the challenges are great; we still have a lot of emergency problems to deal with”, Clinton stated. “Almost all the infrastructure (is) gone there, so the trick is to get the Haitian people back where they can stop living from day-to-day and start living week-to-week or month-to-month”.

He added, “The leaders there want to build a functioning modern state for the first time”.

Monica Lewinsky, the former intern in the White House who was thrust into the national spotlight as her involvement with the president became known, made the pointed accusation in the book. She said Mr Clinton blatantly lied about the details of their affair when he appeared to testify before the grand jury of his trial.

The book, which is 769 pages long, is already being hailed as probably the Clinton scandal’s most definitive account. It contains details related to the affair and tackles it in a scholarly manner. It could be likened to a great saga where the main characters and supporting cast revolve around a blue dress covered with stains.

In his book, Gormley also accuses the former president of indulging in an illicit affair with a woman involved in the Whitewater controversy, Susan McDougal. The Whitewater controversy related to the real estate investments by Mr Clinton and wife Hillary Rodham Clinton, now Secretary of State. McDougal served time in prison because of Whitewater.

Gormley, a law professor from Duquesne, conducted interviews of some of the prominent personalities involved in the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal: the former president himself; Ms Lewinsky; former Majority Floor Leader of the Senate Trent Lott; and Ken Starr, the independent counsel who was also Clinton’s biggest adversary during the course of the scandal.

“My argument was that this is an economic imperative,” Clinton told Senate Democrats during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday. “There is no perfect bill — you’ll always have unintended consequences. There will be amendments to this next year. But the worst thing to do is nothing.”

“It’s not important to be perfect here,” Clinton emphasised. “It’s important to act, to move, to start the ball rolling.”

The former President is the last Democrat who attempted to overhaul the U.S. health care system. Clinton did not emerge victorious in his plans but he is still admired by many for attempting to handle the issue.

“His argument was that getting the best bill is not only good for the people, it’s the best politics,” Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., said.

State officials hope for the health care bill to be signed by U.S. President Barack Obama by the end of the year. But delays have not been helpful in the process, including the issue on abortion. Anti-abortion Senators are urging for the prohibition of federal money to be pumped into abortion costs.

“While there may be different views about abortion, I think there’s a strong majority against using federal dollars to fund abortions,” Senator Nelson said.

President Obama, on the other hand, emphasised the need for a balance to take place.

“I want to make sure that the provision that emerges meets that test — that we are not in some way sneaking in funding for abortions, but, on the other hand, that we’re not restricting women’s insurance choices.”